Ka Pio
by moonjat54
Summary: A child has been taken hostage to influence the outcome of a high profile trial. Governor Denning orders 5-0 to save the girl before a crime lord is able to walk free. Can the team find the girl and save her before the kidnappers get wise? And will they be able to protect themselves? There is bound to be whump since my muse is involved.
1. Chapter 1

**Ka Pio**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. No money comes my way; just the pleasure of your reviews.**

**Hi there, I am back with this story to help me along while waiting for the final new episodes of the season. The muse has been a little slow helping me out on this one but I think that I finally have dragged her back on board. Let's see what she comes up with. I will aim for posting every Monday when possible.**

Ka Pio (The Captive)

Chapter 1

Steve McGarrett entered 5-0 headquarters after a meeting with the mayor and police commissioner to discover Danny, Chin and Kono watching a special news report on one of the hanging monitors. He joined them in time to hear the reporter wrapping up his story on the steps of the courthouse.

"Jury selection for the accused crime lord; Kekoa Newalu should conclude later today and the trial will begin on Monday morning. District Attorney Michael Kwan is prosecuting this high profile case personally. A conviction in this trial would be a huge stepping stone in DA Kwan's career, as many speculate that he hopes to use this trial as a boost towards the mayor's office in the next election," the man announced to the cameras.

"I cannot believe they are giving that rumor any credence," Kono sputtered in disgust.

"It may not be a rumor," Steve responded, his arms folded over his chest. "Our mayor is a bit nervous about Kwan's plans as well. He expressed as much at our meeting today."

"Kwan has said nothing about running," Danny commented.

5-0 had played a major role in the arrest of Newalu and both Steve and Danny were slated to testify at the trial. Kwan had spent time with both men in preparing for the trial.

"No, he didn't but he also never said he wasn't considering running," Steve pointed out.

"I was under the impression Kwan decided to prosecute because he didn't want any screw ups with this case," Chin stated. "Newalu is a major crime figure in the islands and he needs to be put away."

"We all agree on that point Cuz but because the media is spreading this speculation it is undermining his reasoning. It makes him look like a glory seeker instead of the dedicated public official that we know he is," Kono grumbled.

"It doesn't matter why Kwan wants this case, our job is to help him get a conviction," Steve said and reached for his phone as it began to ring. "McGarrett. Yes sir, right away sir," he responded and hung up. "The Governor wants to see me and he doesn't sound happy," he told his curious team members.

"Well good luck with that," Danny said not envying his partner and glad that he wasn't included. Mixing McGarrett and Denning was like a match and gunpowder, there was bound to be an explosion sooner or later.

Steve gave them a wave over his head as he was all ready heading out of the office.

Arriving at the head of Hawaii's office, the man's assistant ushered him right into the Governor's private office. Not being made to cool his heels out in the outer office immediately set off McGarrett's radar. This had to be very serious for the man to not make Steve wait for an audience.

The big man was not waiting behind his desk when Steve entered the room but was pacing in front of the windows, scowling deeply. He looked up at McGarrett's entrance and nodded curtly to the leader of his task force.

"Governor," Steve said respectfully. "You wanted to see me?"

"Yes Commander, we have a delicate problem and I need 5-0 to deal with it," Denning informed him seriously.

"What type of problem is that sir?" Steve asked as he advanced into the room.

"I was approached at my fitness center this morning by Michael Kwan. He stopped me in the locker room and told me that his eleven year old daughter was abducted on her way home from school yesterday. He was contacted later by phone and told she will die if he doesn't sabotage Newalu's trial or if he tries to withdraw from prosecuting," Denning related as if each word was ground glass in his mouth. "I need your team to find Lili Kwan as quickly and as quietly as possible."

"Does he believe it is Newalu's people who took her?" Steve asked, sickened by the thought. "Did they identify themselves to him?" He worried how Danny would react to this news.

"The caller didn't say but who else would it be?" Denning asked. "We cannot risk them knowing 5-0 is looking for them. A child's life is at stake," he cautioned.

"I understand sir. Do we have any proof that the girl is still alive?" Steve enquired, hoping they would have something to work with.

"Kwan said this was on his doorstep this morning tucked in his morning paper," Denning answered, picking up an envelope from his desk and giving it to Steve.

Pulling an 8x10 photo out, Steve studied the image carefully. A frightened young girl sat in a chair holding a copy of that morning's newspaper in a non-descript room. Steve felt a rush of anger roar through him at the terrified look on the child's face.

"We need to find Lili Kwan quickly Commander. I know this a difficult assignment but I will not tolerate criminals taking children to manipulate our justice system," the Governor growled.

"We will do our best sir," McGarrett promised.

"I'm depending on that," Denning said stopping in front of Steve, his eyes locked on McGarrett's. "I want to make something very clear here Commander…..Steve, you have full means and immunity on this case. You do what is necessary to bring Lili Kwan home safe to her parents. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir, thank you sir," Steve responded, standing straighter and nodding. "We won't let you down sir."

"I know that Commander and I am trusting you to do your best. I know that your team gets results. If my office can assist you in any way, call and ask to be put through to me directly," Denning instructed. "Good luck Commander," he added holding out his hand.

Steve shook it firmly and promised again that 5-0 would do their best. He left the office with his mind working furiously on how to find Lili without alerting the kidnappers that they were searching for them. It was a relief to know that they had no restrictions on how they worked the case but this was not going to be easy.

As he strode into the bullpen, his three teammates hurried out of their offices to see what was up. Steve went quickly to the computer table, set the envelope down and began typing. With a wave of his hand he brought up a photo of Michael Kwan and his wife and daughter from the newspaper's society section.

"The Governor called me in to inform me that Lili Kwan was abducted yesterday on her way home from school. Her kidnappers contacted the DA and have instructed him to mismanage the trial or they will kill his daughter," Steve announced.

"Can't he just withdraw from the case?" Kono asked.

"If he does, they said they would still kill her. And if there is any sign of a police investigation they won't wait to see how the trial ends, Lili will die," Steve said grimly.

"So Kwan is over the proverbial barrel and it's up to us to find Lili and to do it quickly," Chin said with a sigh.

"If it helps…Denning did give us full means and immunity on this one. He doesn't care how we do it, we just need to find and rescue Lili," McGarrett informed them.

"Whoa….that sure sounds like he is desperate," Kono whistled. "This has him worried if he is willing to overlook how we operate."

"He said we cannot allow criminals to believe that holding children hostage to influence the justice system is ever an option. So we have to get to work and do it fast. I have the photo of Lili that was delivered to the Kwan's house early this morning," Steve said indicating the envelope that Danny had picked up.

He looked at his partner who had yet to say a word during the briefing. Very slowly Danny withdrew the photo and stared down at the frightened girl who was too close to Grace's age for comfort.

"Danny, you okay buddy?" Steve prompted gently.

"The bastards who use a young child to force her father to do their bidding don't deserve to live," Danny growled under his breath.

"I am with you there partner, but we need to find her first and rescue her. That is our main priority," Steve reminded him. "We will deal with the kidnappers once we have the girl."

"And we make them pay," Danny insisted.

"We rescue the girl first," Steve repeated trying to bring Danny back to the focus of their mission. He put a hand on his friend's shoulder and shook him slightly. He could not have Williams lose focus and be more interested in the punishment and not the rescue. "We do that and the rest will follow, okay?"

Danny looked up from the picture and saw the concern on Steve's face.

"I am okay Steve, don't worry," he assured him. "We need to see if we can figure out where this picture was taken. And we need to see if we missed anyone when we arrested Newalu who would be bold enough to try and orchestrate something this bold. Someone who wants Newalu to walk on these charges," Danny responded.

Kono and Chin exchanged relieved looks, knowing how close to home this was hitting Danny. Like Steve, they had worried if Danny would personalize this and be hampered in his thinking.

"Good idea. Chin, Kono, I want to you to look in to that while Danny and I are gone. There has to be someone who we missed in the arrests," Steve told them.

"Where are you going Boss?" Kono asked.

"Danny and I are going to check in with Kamekona and see if he has any connections that might know Newalu's people. Then we are going to stop by the courthouse and talk to our DA and see what else he can tell us," Steve answered.

End chapter.

**I look forward to your comments. I hope you enjoyed this beginning. The muse always loved encouragement. Thanks.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Ka Pio II**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. I only hope that the real owners do not mind that I play with their characters.**

**I humbly thank you for all the wonderful reviews. I will do my best to entertain you and provide a good story.**

Chapter 2

"Boss…won't it be dangerous for you to meet with Kwan?" Kono asked. "And you don't want to interrupt court and be spotted that way, do you?"

"We're good Kono," Steve replied. "Both Danny and I are expected to testify at the trial so showing up is not a problem. We'll make sure that none of Newalu's team of lawyers are there when we talk to him. I would love to question the housekeeper and Mrs. Kwan but that would set off alarms. We'll catch lunch with Kamekona and then go to the courthouse to see if we can speak to Kwan."

"If we wish to keep a low profile then it might be better to clone Kwan's phone rather than request his phone records," Chin spoke up. "You should swing by the lab and talk to Fong…..he could set you up with something that would let us be aware of any calls coming into the DA's phone."

Good idea Chin," Steve approved quickly. "Come on Danny, let's get the clone device and then see Kamekona. I'll buy lunch."

"You always promise that and then you forget your wallet," Danny groused. He looked at Steve expectantly. "So, do you have it?"

"I have my wallet….let's move," Steve insisted and headed out of the office.

After a quick stop at the crime lab to collect the device from Fong, the two men headed out to the shrimp truck to check in with Kamekona. On the ride over, McGarrett stole a quick look at his partner who was uncharacteristically quiet.

"Are you okay Danny?" he asked.

"No Steven, I am not okay," Danny answered. "I cannot help wondering if a DA's daughter can be taken to influence the outcome of this trial, who else is in danger? Since I'm testifying, does that mean that Grace is in danger as well? How many loose ends will Newalu's people decide to control or kill? How do I explain this to Rachel without her hauling me right back into court?" he ranted, his voice rising with every word. "I can't create another trip to Jersey this soon to distract her. Rachel will pack up Grace and head to Las Vegas and never bring her back."

Steve listened patiently as Danny expressed his fears. He was well aware that Grace was his partner's world and Danny had sacrificed and fought to stay in his child's life. It wouldn't be fair to lose her because he was a good cop.

"I'll talk to Rachel," he offered. "Let me explain to her that we're just being cautious. We'll keep them safe."

"I highly doubt that Rach will listen to you, my friend," Danny replied with a shake of his head. "This is only going to confirm that being near me puts Grace in danger."

"It's the nature of our job Danny. What are you going to do, quit 5-0? Hey, let's not get ahead of ourselves. We don't know that Grace is in danger," Steve cautioned.

"I don't want to take that for granted," Danny grumbled. He understood Steve's point but he couldn't quell the fear building inside him thinking how Grace was the one thing he could not risk. He was good at his job and wouldn't even consider leaving the task force. But one thing that stuck in Danny's mind was how his job had cost him Rachel and it was now threatening to take Grace away from him as well.

Steve parked near the shrimp truck but made no attempt to get out of the vehicle. He studied his partner closely.

"Are you ready buddy?" he asked.

"Yes, we need to know if the big guy has a lead on who took Lili Kwan," Danny said firmly. "We can't let that little girl down."

"Good, that is the way to go," Steve agreed and got out of the car. The two men went to the truck and collected lunch plates and then went looking for Kamekona.

They found the big guy sitting at a table behind the truck and joined him there.

"Hey, Kamekona, we're hoping you can help us with something," Steve said in a low voice as they settled in opposite the big man.

"What can I do for you fine gentlemen? I am always willing to assist my friends at 5-0," Kamekona drawled with a smile.

"We need some names big guy," Danny said leaning forward. "Can you tell us who was working for Kekoa Newalu that we might not have known when we arrested the guy?"

A look of surprise ran across Kamekona's face that was quickly followed by a fearful, guarded expression. His eyes darted around the area, checking to see if anyone was listening. Finally he leaned closer and dropped his voice so it couldn't be overheard.

"Hey, that man is one bad cat and I don't mess with people like that anymore," he told them. "I like being able to walk and talk."

"I get it but someone wants Newalu set free and they've kidnapped the DA's daughter and have promised to kill her if Kwan doesn't throw the trial," Steve informed him quietly. "We have to rescue this child Kamekona…..we need help."

"She' eleven years old big guy," Danny added.

Kamekona closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead. He did not want to be in the middle of this and he knew that Newalu's group was maika'I'ole, people he wanted no part of. He did not want to be known to this group as a snitch but the thought of a child being held hostage made his blood boil.

"I steer clear of those people, they have no honor," Kamekona tried to explain. "I do not want a little girl hurt."

"Is it family who took her?" Danny pounced on the possibility. "Come on Kamekona, help us save her."

The big Hawaiian again searched the area, checking to be sure no one was listening. He leaned in closer to the two men.

"Newalu does have an uncle on his mother's side; Hoku Mokiao and he has made noise about not liking his nephew being in jail. The man lives on Maui but this news has made it to our island all ready. Mokiao may not have been involved in Newalu's business but he's ohana to Kekoa and the rumor is he gets a cut of the profits," Kamekona explained.

"None of this came out when we arrested Newalu," Steve said in confusion. "We never had his name come up."

"Hoku stayed out of the family business as far as I know," Kamekona stated. "But don't let anyone tell you he isn't part of the family. They have very close ties…he is involved. He would be my guess as to who took the little girl."

"Well then we need to find him," Danny said giving Steve a pointed stare. Both men had lost interest in the food in front of them. Danny laid down his fork and pushed his food aside.

"We will Danny," Steve promised. "Kamekona, we will make sure that you will not be connected to our investigation.

"That is all I ask," the big guy stated.

"Let us know if anyone comes asking questions," Steve instructed, understanding what drove Kamekona's fears. "Don't hesitate to let us know if anyone threatens you."

"I will let you know McGarrett….." Kamekona promised.

"Thanks my friend," McGarrett stated as he rose to his feet and extended his hand to the shrimp entrepreneur. Kamekona grasped it and shook it vigorously.

"Find the little keiki and bring her home to her ohana," Kamekona said solemnly.

"We will," Danny promised.

Steve and Danny went back to the car and headed to the courthouse. They didn't know if the session was over but they would wait to see if Kwan was free to talk. Danny called in to talk to Chin and Kono and see what they learned.

"What have you got Danny?" Chin asked.

Kekoa Newalu has an uncle on Maui, one Hoku Mokiao. Kamekona says Hoku has been making some noise about not liking his nephew being in jail," Danny reported to his coworkers back at the bullpen.

"We will check him out. That name did not pop up in any of Newalu's known crime associates," Chin replied. "Have you met with Kwan yet?"

"Not yet, we are on our way to the courthouse," Williams answered.

"Good luck brah. We'll see you when you get back," Chin told him.

Danny exchanged a quick look with Steve.

"So what do you think about Mokiao? Is he part of Newalu's organization or is this just a disgruntled family member?" Danny asked.

"Our background research never implicated him so this could just be an angry uncle," Steve commented. "Either way we need to know if he's paid a visit to Kekoa in jail. Kidnapping a child and threatening a DA are big steps for an honest business man."

"Family pride can be a powerful motivator," Danny pointed out. "Maybe he was a silent partner with his nephew."

"We will find out. We have to treat this very carefully because a panicked uncle who operates on emotions is very dangerous," Steve warned.

"Never thought that I would pray that our bad guys are pros," Danny muttered.

Once they reached the courthouse, the two men waited until the courtroom began to clear out for a late lunch break. The two men hung back, out of the way while the courtroom emptied and Newalu's team of lawyers paraded past on their way out. Once they were sure that the group was gone they entered the room to discover Michael Kwan angrily shoving papers into his briefcase.

"Mr. Kwan, we need to talk," Steve announced as they approached him.

The DA whirled around in surprise, panic written all over his face.

"What are you doing here? We can't be seen together, "he exclaimed.

"Relax we're testifying in this trial, no one will question our being here," Danny said holding up his hands. "Newalu's team is long gone."

"We have to discuss what happened to Lili if we are going to rescue her," Steve explained. "I promise you that we will do our best to bring her home safe."

"They will kill her if they think you're investigating," Kwan insisted.

"I have a daughter close to the same age so I know how you feel," Danny responded. "I promise you they will never see us coming.

End chapter.

**I do hope that you all can follow my story thoughts. We are now just into midday on the day after Lili was kidnapped and we know the bad guys are not eager to kill her because they hope to use her as leverage. However that does not mean that it is not important for 5-0 to save her as soon as possible. Thank you for reading.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Ka Pio III**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. Never will but let's just say that I love borrowing the characters for my own entertainment.**

**A power outage here made me nervous that I would not be able to post today. Thank goodness that was fixed in time. I had better type fast in case things go wrong again. Thank you all who have read and reviewed.**

Chapter 3

"That is a brave promise Det. Williams and I believe that you will do your best. I spoke to the Governor because I didn't know what else to do. Lili is my only child…my little girl and I have to do what they tell me or she will die. I hope you can help but I will not put her in jeopardy," Kwan said desperately.

"And we don't want that either," Steve assured him. "You did contact the Governor so you know that we can't just let this continue without trying to find Lili."

"I saw Lili's face in that photo and I didn't know what to do. I shouldn't have involved the Governor with this," Kwan said shaking his head.

"Well we know about it now so just let us do our job," Danny said. "We will find Lili and bring her home."

"Just tell us what happened yesterday," Steve encouraged.

"Yesterday Lili never made it home from school. We only live a block and a half from the school, it's a good neighborhood and Lili likes to walk with her friends. When she didn't show up at her usual time, our housekeeper called my wife at work and my wife called me. Before I could contact the police, I received a call from the kidnappers. They told me I had to sabotage the trial or they'd kill Lili," the DA related tersely.

"We need your phone," Steve said holding out his hand.

"What if they call?" Kwan protested. "I can't be out of touch."

"I'm not going to keep it, I'm going to clone it," Steve told him as he withdrew a phone sized object from his pocket. "This will let us access past calls and track any future ones. We'll know the minute they contact you."

Kwan nodded and handed his phone to McGarrett who set the two objects side by side and activated the cloner.

"I really love this technology," Danny grinned as the little box went to work.

"You don't even like to text Danny," Steve mocked.

"But with this I don't have to do anything but watch. That makes me love it," Danny shrugged. "Mr. Kwan, we will track these bastards down and get your little girl."

"Detective, I want to believe you and the Commander when you say that. I will not sacrifice my little girl for this trial. So I do wish you the best but come Monday…if she is not home safe, I will follow their orders," he said seriously. "I hate it but I won't do anything that brings Lili harm."

"We understand Mr. Kwan…give us a chance," Danny said quickly. Knowing exactly what the man was feeling, he didn't expect him to do anything else. The strain in Kwan's eyes was clear and Danny knew the man was close to breaking down. "Just keep things going today and try and act as if it is all normal."

"I saw the smug look on Newalu's face during jury selection and it made my blood boil. He knows that they have Lili, I am sure of it."

"Stay calm Mr. Kwan. We have two days to find Lili and we will do our best. Stay strong and just let us do the work," Steve instructed.

"I will try. Look Commander…..I have to go, I may be watched. I do not want them getting suspicious because I haven't gone to lunch," he said nervously and kept glancing at the doors to the courtroom.

"Sure, go," Steve agreed. "We will be in touch if we need anything."

"Thank you," Kwan said grabbing his phone and hurriedly left the room.

Danny gave Steve a curious look with raised eyebrows.

"And why didn't we mention the lead we have with Mokiao?" he asked. "He could have filled us in if the man has been in the courtroom."

"Until we have more on Mokiao, I don't want to let that information out," Steve explained. "I don't want our DA trying to do anything on his own to rescue his daughter or we will have no chance of saving that girl. If those kidnappers call him again I do not want him tipping them off that we are searching for them."

Danny nodded and smiled slightly.

"So you do think things out ahead of time," he grinned. "And you are right; Kwan will do anything to secure his daughter's release. He was literally oozing desperation."

Then we need to get moving and find Lili before Monday. Let's go see what Chin and Kono have dug up," Steve stated firmly and headed out for the car.

They found the cousins both working at the table when they entered the bullpen. Steve handed Kono the cloning device and then checked the information the two had projected up on the overhead screens.

"Meet Hoku Mokiao," Chin said indicating a Hawaiian native who appeared to be in his mid-60s. His DMV photo revealed a man not comfortable with having his picture taken, his smile forced. "I've combed through his financials and nothing links him to Kekoa's illegal activities. As we built a case against Newalu we never ran across Mokiao's name except as a family member."

"And Hoku's Wet Adventures means what?" Danny asked.

"He owns a surf and scuba shot in Wailuku on Maui. Business records show that he has a successful business and he doesn't live beyond his means. Kekoa maintained a residence near his uncle, where his wife and two children currently live. Newalu's mother also has a home in the same neighborhood," Chin supplied more answers.

"Close knit family," Steve observed.

"Well that certainly explains why Newalu kept his mistress here on Oahu, away from prying eyes," Kono snorted, referring to the woman who had broken open the case against the crime lord.

"Kekoa might be a smart criminal but he didn't know enough to stay away from gold digging strippers," Danny quipped. "Especially ones who name themselves Kiki Tango. Clearly this woman was not the loyal kind."

"And never let your business become pillow talk," Chin agreed. "Kiki knew far too much of how he ran his crime ring. She has provided the locations of several of houses that ran the prostitution rings and where he kept the books for the loan sharking."

"Maybe Kiki can tell us if Mokiao had a connection to his nephew's illegal doings. She might know where they would stash the kidnapped girl," Steve speculated. "It might be a good idea to talk to her."

"HPD and the DA's office have her stashed away in a safe house until she is scheduled to testify. They may object to letting anyone close to her until she shows up in the courtroom. A lot of this trial hinges on her testimony," Chin warned.

"Denning gave us carte blanche in this case. If we need her help then they will give us access to her," Steve said firmly.

"Let's see if we can dig up a lead on who grabbed Lili and trace things that way before we rock that boat," Danny cautioned. "We don't want to compromise Ms Tango's safety unless we have to. The newspaper is a key to some of this. Since it is today's issue and Kwan received the photo early this morning, I would guess that Lili is being held here on Oahu and not on Maui. There was just not enough time to get that paper to the other island and take the photo and then place it in Kwan's morning issue," Danny said rubbing the back of his neck. "She must be held here on Oahu."

"I've traced the route that Lili would most likely take from school to home," Kono said as she looked up from the clone phone. She tapped the table and a map appeared on the screen. "Someone had to have seen something."

"There are a lot of young families in that neighborhood, lots of kids running around. If someone suspicious went down there would have been a report," Chin responded. "How did they manage to grab her and not have anyone notice?"

"It had to be done with a vehicle that is commonly seen in the neighborhood," Steve suggested.

"We need to canvas that neighborhood," Danny said firmly. He saw McGarrett open his mouth to protest and raised his hand to stop him. "Clearly we can't announce ourselves as 5-0 and ask if anyone saw bad guys snatch Lili Kwan. But if certain people, who looked like they could blend in, were to knock on a few doors as if doing a survey….."

"And what kind of questions do you want Chin and me to ask?" Kono interrupted with a chuckle.

"Actually….I was thinking that you and Catherine might be those who could blend in," Danny answered and noticed Steve's surprised face. "I mean, two pretty women asking about how safe the neighborhood was since they are planning on buying a home there would set off fewer alarms."

Danny glanced around the table to see what his audience thought of his suggestion. When he got to McGarrett he could see his partner trying to hide a smirk.

"Go on Danno, you're on a roll," Steve encouraged with a wave of a hand. "Tell us more."

"Well I think that they could start on Kwan's street and work their way back to the school. Check the houses that have someone home during the afternoon…..there is bound to be some who keep an eye out for their own kids," Danny said waving his hands at the map as he spoke.

"I think you are on to something brah. They probably have a neighborhood watch or something. They may have noticed something that they didn't realize that they saw. Since the Kwan's have not said that Lili is missing people might not have put any significance on what went down," Kono said quickly. She looked at Steve. "What do you think Boss, will Catherine go along with this?"

"If Steve asks nicely I bet she will," Danny grinned.

"I will call her," Steve agreed. "Danny that was inspired."

Williams smiled proudly for a moment and then frowned as suspicion clouded his features.

"Are you making fun of me?" he accused.

"No Danny, I am not. This is a good idea and I'm sure Catherine will be willing to help," Steve replied.

"I do love it when a plan comes together," Danny gloated, rubbing his hands together.

"And the A Team appreciates the effort," McGarrett chuckled.

"You know watched the A Team?" Danny asked then slapped his forehead. "Oh of course you would….things blew up on that show all the time. Perfect entertainment for a McGarrett."

"So you see yourself as Hannibal Smith do you?" Steve questioned with a smirk.

"Of course not you moron," Danny said with a shake of his head. "I am definitely Face, the good looking one."

End chapter.

**I figure we need some lightness in this mess. And somehow I just know that Danny sees himself as Face. Thank you for reading.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Ka Pio IV**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. Just because I don't own it doesn't mean that I don't like playing with it.**

**Thank you for the continued support. Knowing that last Monday's episode was coming up is what gave me the idea for this story. I hope that I can keep it different enough to not seem like I am stealing from the show's writers.**

Chapter 4

Chin rolled his eyes as Kono groaned at Danny's A Team proclamation. Steve just chuckled and let it go as he pulled his phone out of his pocket to call Catherine.

"Hello Steve, what's the favor?" Catherine asked the moment she answered.

"I can see we have fallen into a rut," Steve said lightly. "And yes, I do need a favor Cath. We've caught a sensitive case and if you're off duty soon we could really use your help," he explained, becoming serious.

"What kind of help do you need?" she asked, recognizing the change in tone in Steve's voice.

"We have a kidnapped child. I can't go into detail on the phone," he replied. "We need you to work with Kono. I need someone I trust on this. Should I speak to your CO for you?"

"Not necessary, I'll handle it," Catherine assured him. She knew that her CO would have no issue the minute she mentioned there was a child involved. "I'll be there shortly."

"Thanks Cath," he said in relief. "I owe you."

"You always do," she said with a light laugh and clicked off the phone.

Steve was smiling as he returned his phone to his pocket and then noticed the grins on his teammate's faces. Danny's smirk was priceless and he could see that his partner was dying to make a comment.

"Danny?"

"I do hope Catherine is keeping score of all the favors you owe her. At this rate she should be able to eat free for the whole month," the blonde quipped.

"Who says I pay all my debts off with food?" Steve responded, enjoying the shocked look that appeared on Danny's face at his words. "Get your mind out of the gutter Danno; there are other ways to pay off a debt. How do you think I ended up sitting through "The Notebook" a while back?"

Chin and Kono's laughter echoed in the room as Danny's expression became disgruntled.

"So now you are a comedian," he muttered darkly.

"Back to the matter at hand," Chin spoke up. "Kono, check out Kwan's phone history and see if we can learn who called him. Danny, since this is your plan, what do you want the ladies asking the neighbors?"

Danny looked relieved to have the attention switch back to important things.

"Well, they should ask if the neighborhood is safe. If there is a lot of traffic on the streets….sort of like they want to know if a pet might get hit if it escapes the house. They need to ask if there is a lot of strange traffic in the area," Danny suggested.

"Maybe it would be wise to ask what delivery services are in the area," Steve added. "How frequently trucks and vans come by."

"Sure, like if the dry cleaners deliver, are there diaper services and things like that," Kono said from where she was working at the table. She frowned at the screen. "Gentlemen, I think we've come up empty on the phone. The call to Kwan yesterday afternoon was from a burner. I can't trace it."

"Should have known that wasn't going to pan out," Danny grumbled. He noticed Steve was staring silently at the map of the Kwan's neighborhood. "What is bugging you partner?"

"I think that Kono is on to something. Whoever did this was familiar with the neighborhood; they studied the activity levels for the best time to grab Lili. When school lets out is a busy time but there are also more watchful eyes, too many parents at the building looking for their children. On the street near Lili's house would have to be the smarter place to grab her. Fewer eyes on what is happening," Steve said waving a hand over the map. "See, they live on a corner…..more room to wait for the child to arrive."

"What do we know about the housekeeper?" Danny asked.

"Sherry Topher is a woman in her late thirties with a clean record," Chin replied as he tapped the table. The woman's driver's license appeared on the screen. "She's worked for the Kwans for seven years. When she noticed Lili wasn't home at her usual time she called Patricia Kwan at her job at the oral surgeon's office. I checked her financials; there are no red flags on any of her accounts. There is no reason to believe she is involved with this."

"Kono, start with the homes closest to Kwan's and work your way back towards the school. We'll be in a van listening in on your interviews. Maybe the sight of our van will jog someone's memory. I just wish we had traffic cameras to check but the residential part of the neighborhood doesn't have them," Steve said in frustration. "The school cameras didn't show anything suspicious."

"No…..we caught a glimpse of Lili walking away from school but then she went out of camera range," Chin answered.

"Then this canvassing will have to get us what we need. It is a good idea Danny," Steve said.

"And just what did that cost you?" Danny grinned.

"What? I'm only stating the truth," Steve said not reacting to Danny's jibe.

Danny just grinned as he felt he made his point.

A short while later Catherine strode into the office in civilian clothing and was met by Steve who noticed her entrance first. The other three joined them at the smart table.

"So tell me what is happening. Why do you need me to help find a kidnapped child? I've heard nothing on the news, there isn't a Maile Amber Alert."

"Someone has taken DA Michael Kwan's daughter Lili in an attempt to manipulate the Kekoa Newalu trial," Steve explained as Kono brought up all the information on the screens once more. "We have not made this news public because Kwan has been warned that any investigation will lead to Lili's death. We want to send you and Kono to talk to the neighbors quietly, not setting off alarms."

Catherine absorbed the information feeling sick by the situation.

"Okay, tell me how we do that," she said determinedly. "How do we present ourselves?"

"We are going to say we are saying that we are house shopping in the area. We are just asking about the neighborhood and if there are any perks like delivery services and things like that," Kono filled her in.

"We will have you wired and will monitor your interviews," Chin added. "We are hoping that someone saw something without realizing it. We need to know if there were any suspicious vehicles that we can then track on a traffic cam once it left the neighborhood."

"So when do we start?" Catherine asked. She smiled up at Steve. "We'll get you what you need."

"I know you will," Steve answered as he hugged her close. "Thanks for helping with this. We just felt that two women would set off fewer alarms."

"Come on girlfriend," Kono said with a smile. "Let's get wired up and then we can use your hot ride to head over to the Kwan's neighborhood. That way if anyone is keeping an eye out, they won't recognize my Cruze as 5-0. I'll brief you more on the ride over."

"Yes ma'am….I am ready to get to work," Catherine responded quickly.

"Get set, we'll be right behind you," Chin told them.

When they emerged from Kono's office a few minutes later, they waved as they headed for the exit.

"Just make sure you have your mikes turned on," Chin reminded them.

"I've got it Cuz," Kono assured him as they left.

"So now we follow them and hope they spark some memory," Steve muttered.

"We can only hope that someone saw something that they don't realize," Chin commented.

"Then let's not let the ladies get too far ahead of us," Danny suggested. "The sooner we get a lead the sooner we rescue Lili. I would like this over before Monday."

"I'm with you on that one Danny," Steve said as he turned to the door.

They had barely crossed the bullpen when Danny's phone began ringing. He groaned as he saw Rachel's name on the caller ID.

"What now Rachel?" he snapped.

"Daniel, why would someone from the District Attorney's office call here and tell me to pack bags for Grace, Charles and me? They said we were to go to a safe house. What is happening Daniel?" Rachel demanded. Danny could hear the touch of panic that was mixed in with anger in her voice.

"I don't know anything about a safe house Rachel," Danny said stopping dead and looking at Steve and Chin in confusion. "Who called you?" he asked as he switched his phone to speaker.

"Someone from the DA's office. I forgot the name. She just said that we needed to be taken to a safe house for the time being. What did you do Daniel?"

Steve was instantly on his phone, calling the DA's office to confirm this. Chin placed a quick call to Kono and Catherine to advise them that they were delayed slightly.

"No one has told me anything about a threat to you or the kids Rachel," Danny said trying to calm her down. He struggled with his own panic that was building inside him. His worst nightmare was coming true. "Listen to me closely Rachel; do not let anyone through your gate until I get there. Lock your house down and I will come there immediately." He glanced at Steve. McGarrett had ended his call and shook his head at Danny.

"No one from the DA's called Rachel," he confirmed.

"Did you hear that Rachel? The call was a fake. This is not official business. I am coming right over, do not let anyone else inside," Danny instructed.

"Okay Danny. I will do that," Rachel confirmed her voice shaking. She now sounded more frightened than angry.

"I will explain everything when I get there."

"When WE get there," Steve insisted.

"We are on our way Rach," Danny promised.

End chapter.

**The muse wanted a twist. Thank you for reading.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Ka Pio V**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. I wish I could borrow it for more than just these stories but that is just a dream.**

**Thank you for the lovely comments. The response you give me makes me continue to write. The muse has decided she wanted a Danny and Rachel scene so I gave in.**

Chapter 5

As Danny pocketed his phone he saw Steve was instructing Chin on what he wanted him to do.

"Call Duke if you need backup, we can trust him with what we are doing," Steve was explaining.

"Sure thing Steve," Chin answered and hurried out to catch up with Catherine and Kono.

Shifting attention to his partner, Steve saw the worry etched on Danny's face. Williams dug his keys out of his pocket and held them out to McGarrett.

"You drive. Use lights, sirens and whatever other insane skills you have to get us to Grace and Rachel," he insisted. "I'm counting on you setting a world record babe."

McGarrett nodded with a grim smile as he took the keys and the two men hurried down to the Camaro. Once in the car Danny buckled in and prepared for the wildest ride of his life. His stomach churned with worry and made no protest as Steve squealed tires as he headed out of the parking lot.

"So is this our perps letting us know that they know we are on their trail?" Danny asked through gritted teeth as Steve swerved the car around a corner.

"I wondered about that but there is no way they could know that all ready. I am thinking that they are just going for your weak spot to stop your testimony," Steve replied.

"Even though I am part of 5-0?"

"If this is an amateur, as we believe that Mokiao might be, he may not care," Steve said. "He may just want to cover as many angles as he can to insure his nephew gets off."

"If he is an amateur, then he may not be thinking this through," Danny said worriedly. They all knew that people operating on emotion were more dangerous than seasoned criminals. Big mistakes could be made in the heat of emotion. "Faster buddy…we don't know how quickly they will get to Rachel's."

Nodding and keeping his eyes on the road, Steve pressed the accelerator down further, weaving in and out of traffic, lights flashing. When he halted at the gate to the Edward's estate, Danny flung the door open and ran to the intercom on the gatepost.

"Rachel, it's me Danny. Are you okay? Open the gate," he said urgently.

"Thank God Danny, I am so glad you are here," Rachel's voice responded as the gate began to swing open. Danny jumped in the car before Steve pulled inside the wall and headed up to the main door. Silently the gate swung shut behind them.

Not wanting to tip off whoever was scamming Rachel, Steve dropped Danny off at the walk to the front door and then drove to the rear of the house to hide the Camaro. He didn't want the would-be kidnappers to know that Rachel had anyone else at the house. After parking the car out of sight, he popped the trunk of the Camaro and proceeded to put several weapons into a duffel bag, then headed to the front door.

Danny had run to the front door and was met by Rachel, who had been watching and waiting for him. She pulled it open as his foot hit the top step and stood there twisting her hands together, eyes wide with worry.

"What is going on Danny? Why would we be told to go to a safe house? Why did someone call me and lie?" she asked, pelting him with questions.

"Come inside Rachel," Danny said taking her arm and steering her inside. "Steve's parking the car," he added leaving the door ajar. "Let's go in here and I'll try and explain what we think is happening. Where's Grace?"

"She's upstairs in her room," Rachel answered as Danny guided her into the formal living room. Danny eased her into a chair and stood before her, his hands clasped together.

"We think that you were called by the same people who kidnapped DA Michael Kwan's daughter yesterday. Someone is trying to influence the outcome of the Kekoa Newalu trial. The call you received must be their attempt to control my testimony," Danny informed her.

While Danny was talking, Steve entered the front foyer, locking the door behind him. He set down the duffel next to the door and heard his partner trying to calm his ex-wife down. Not wanting to intrude, he sat down on one of the lower steps of the staircase to wait.

"So this is because of you. My children and I are in danger because of your job?" Rachel said, her voice rising in anger. "This is why I wanted to take Grace to Las Vegas with Stan."

"This isn't my fault Rachel. I'm doing my job, I can't control what the crazies out there do to get their way," Danny protested. "I can't help it if they zero in on my family."

"They seem to zero in quite often Daniel," Rachel scolded as she rose to her feet. "I cannot live in fear for my family all the time."

"You can't just yank Grace out of my life whenever you are afraid, Rachel. I won't let anything happen to her or you," Danny argued, his voice rising as well.

As the couple continued their heated discussion, McGarrett felt a presence on the stairs above him. Soft footsteps could be heard heading his way and he swiveled around to see Grace moving slowly down the stairs. When he smiled at her she increased her pace and settled on the step beside him. Her eyes were brimming with concern as she glanced at the other room.

"Why are Momma and Danno fighting Uncle Steve?" She asked softly. "Mom was upset when she sent me upstairs."

"They're just worried Gracie. Someone called and frightened your mom. Your dad is trying to tell her that we'll make sure you're okay," Steve said trying to pick his words carefully. Letting Grace hear her parents fight made him uncomfortable but he suspected that this was not the first time the girl had heard her folks disagree. In an effort to make her feel better, he took one of her small hands in his large one and squeezed it very lightly.

"You can't be here every minute Daniel," Rachel was saying coldly.

"Gracie….you trust Danno and me, don't you?" Steve said trying to distract the girl as she bit her lower lip.

"Yes Uncle Steve."

"Then don't worry. You, your mom and little brother are safe with us," Steve assured her. "We will take care of you."

"I know you will Uncle Steve. I just don't like Mom and Danno fighting. They really don't hate each other," she said getting to her feet. Danny and Rachel's voices had gotten louder.

"I know you love Grace Daniel but how can you be so blind as not to see the danger she is in because of your job? I have a right to protect her," Rachel said stridently.

"You can't yank her out of my life because of my job Rachel!" Danny exploded. "You can't blame me for every threat in this world."

"But this is because of you. And don't think that I don't know why you had me invited to New Jersey a couple months ago. You were shot and kidnapped, I know Grace was threatened too," Rachel said heatedly. "No court will ignore that fact."

Grace looked at Steve with anguish written all over her young face.

"She's just upset, she doesn't mean that," he said quickly.

"Damn it Rachel, you can't use that against me," Danny yelled.

"I'm going to talk to them," Grace told Steve determinedly and tugged her hand free. She marched to the entrance of the living room and planted her fists on her hips.

"Mom….Danno….you shouldn't be fighting," she ordered.

The couple swung around to see their irate daughter frowning at them. Steve had joined her, standing behind the child with one hand resting lightly on her shoulder.

"Grace, this doesn't involve you. Go back upstairs," Rachel said quickly.

"Gracie, we aren't fighting. Mom and me just don't agree on a few things," Danny added, taking a step towards her. "Honest Monkey, it's okay."

"I know a fight when I hear it Danno," Grace corrected sounding very mature. "You and Mom are angry."

"Grace…sweetheart," Rachel began. "Please darling, your father and I just don't agree on how to keep you safe."

"I know you think that Danno's job puts me in danger. I've listened to you and Stan talk about it. Danno does have a job that is dangerous but when we were carjacked it was because of Stan. Bad things happen all the time Mom and they aren't all Danno's fault."

Rachel took several steps towards Grace, ending up next to Danny. She glanced at her ex and then at Steve, her eyes pleading for them for understanding. She then looked back at her determined daughter and held out a hand.

"I'm just worried about you Grace. I want you safe."

"Danno keeps us safe," Grace stubbornly insisted. "Bad things can happen anywhere."

"And we will take care of you this time Rachel," Danny told her quietly. "Nothing will happen."

"You can't promise that all the time Daniel," Rachel reminded him angrily.

"What do you want Rachel? Do you want me to quit my job?" Danny demanded in frustration.

"No…..Momma, Danno can't quit. Who would protect the island?" Grace protested. "Uncle Steve needs Danno's help to fight bad guys. Uncle Chin and Aunt Kono do too."

Steve chuckled softly and gave Grace's shoulder a gentle squeeze.

"I'd listen to your daughter Rachel, she is right. Don't focus on the negative. Danny isn't to blame for the evil in this world," he said calmly.

Danny looked a bit surprised by the defense his partner and daughter had presented. He glanced at Rachel, expecting her to rip into McGarrett next. It caught him off guard to see her lower lip trembling and tears brimming in her eyes.

"I…I know he isn't too blame. I just can't….I can't stand the stress. I'm alone with the children and I worry about them," she admitted. "I worry about you Danny," she continued in a whisper. "I'm sorry."

Rachel looked ready to collapse, all her anger had dissipated and Danny quickly wrapped his arms around her to hold her upright. She burst into tears and he awkwardly patted her back with one hand.

"Come on Gracie, let's check on your little brother and give your folks some time to apologize to each other," Steve suggested as he turned the girl back to the stairs.

End chapter.

**So there was the big blow up, I hope I did it right. I will be gone for the holiday weekend so the next chapter won't be posted next Monday. I will try to have it ready to go on Tuesday. Thank you for reading.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Ka Pio VI**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. Now that the season is officially over and we have to wait until fall for new episodes, I feel like this is our playground.**

**Thank you all for the reviews. I am running a little behind since I just got home to my computer after a long weekend in the north woods. I hope I have come back refreshed and ready to take this story where it needs to go.**

Chapter 6

After going upstairs, Steve let Grace lead the way to Charlie's room. The little boy was curled up in his bed sleeping soundly and Steve was touched by how tenderly Grace ran her hand over his curls and adjusted his blanket over him. He moved to the windows that looked out over the front yard. A warning tingle ran down his spine as a black SUV halted by the gate post, its windows tinted. A man in a dark suit and sunglasses got out of the front passenger door and moved to the intercom. Swiftly Steve crossed over to Grace and knelt down on one knee before her.

"Grace honey, I need you to stay up here with Charlie for now. Don't come down until your folks or I say it's okay. Do you understand?" he asked calmly.

The girl nodded her eyes wide.

"Good, I know I can count on you. It's really important for you to do as I say. Take care of your brother," Steve gently instructed.

"I will Uncle Steve," Grace promised in a trembling voice.

"Good girl. I'm going downstairs now to help your dad and mom. When it's safe someone will come and get you. Okay?"

Grace nodded and gave him a tight hug. Steve patted her back before letting her go and then rose and hurried downstairs.

As he reached the foot of the stairs, Rachel and Danny were at the intercom panel. Joining them he heard the finish of the message from out at the gate.

"…..we need to come in and move you to safety Mrs. Edwards," the voice was demanding.

"I'm sorry but I must have some proof of identification," Rachel responded as she followed Danny's prompts.

"We will show you our credentials once we're at your door. We are here on DA Kwan's instructions. Now please open the gate. We must move you to safety."

"Are you aware that my ex-husband is a member of the 5-0 task force?" Rachel asked. "He told me not to let anyone in until he arrives. He wants to speak with you."

"I'm sorry ma'am but 5-0 has no say in this matter. This is a Justice Department's order. Now open the gate," the man said a bit more strongly.

Steve had gone to the duffel and took out his tactical vest, strapping it on. He secured his double thigh holsters and checked the clips of both weapons before shoving them securely in place. He brought out an assault rifle but handed it to Danny instead of keeping it.

"I'm going out the back and then around the side to the wall out front. I'll go over the wall at the far corner and come up behind the SUV. Give me ten minutes and then start something, keep their attention on you," he told Danny. "And wear your vest; I don't want you getting shot."

"Same goes for you," Danny said as he reached into the bag for his own vest.

Steve gave Rachel an encouraging smile and then headed to the back of the house. He had noticed a palm tree with a curved trunk that leaned toward the wall in the corner of the property.

It was easy to scale the tree and Steve was quickly perched on the top. He looked through the foliage, checking out the man standing at the gate. The man was a Hawaiian native in his mid-thirties and McGarrett could see that his posture displayed anger at being stalled by Rachel. One hand had crept inside his suit coat, undoubtedly coming to rest on a gun.

Quietly he dropped to the ground and moved forward, ducking behind the smaller palms that grew along the base of the wall on the street side when the man's gaze swung his way. He halted when he got close enough to hear the man's latest, very irritated instructions.

"Mrs. Edwards, this is getting us nowhere. We really can't waste time, you must open the gate. I assure you we will let you contact your ex-husband once you are safely settled."

Danny's voice could be heard through the speaker.

"I'll have you know that I am here and you have a lot of explaining to do buddy. What part of 5-0 don't you understand? I'm on my way out there."

The man turned to the SUV and spoke urgently to someone inside in a low voice. He then drew his weapon and moved to the gate to be able to see inside more clearly. Steve stepped out into the street and aimed his own weapon and shouted to him.

"5-0 drop your weapon!"

Before the man could respond, the SUV's engine came to life and a shot rang out from the rear bumper. Hot pain buried into Steve's left arm, near his shoulder. Pivoting, he fired at a second man standing at the rear of the vehicle. He fired twice, both shots hitting the man dead center in the chest.

The vehicle leapt forward, pausing only long enough for the man at the gate to jump inside and then it roared away, in a cloud of exhaust. Sounds of gun fire followed it as the gate swung open and Danny ran out into the street, his rifle dropping to his side. He stared at the SUV as it disappeared around a corner and then turned to McGarrett, who was bending over the body, checking the pockets of the dead man.

"So much for keeping a low profile," Danny said in annoyance. "The kidnappers sure know 5-0 is on the case now."

"They shot first Danny," Steve protested as he straightened up, not finding any ID. "It was self defense. I can't find Lili if I am dead.

"Well we've lost the element of surprise. Let's hope they don't panic and hurt that little girl," Danny grumbled and then stopped short when he saw the trickle of blood running down Steve's left arm. "What did I say about not getting shot? Don't you ever listen to me?"

"What?" Steve said and then glanced at his arm. "Oh, it's just a scratch."

"Right, scratches always bleed that much," Danny countered. "Damn it babe, are you looking to get killed? I for one don't want to have to explain that to Catherine or your mother."

"I'll be fine Danno," Steve said pulling out his phone. He wouldn't admit that his arm was throbbing some as he tapped a contact number with his thumb. "Max, I need a favor. Can you bring a van, I need a body ID'd and it needs to be kept quiet. Can you come and pick it up?"

"I am happy to help you Commander. May I ask why I must keep this quiet? Is this illegal?"

"No, nothing illegal Max, just something I'm trying to keep a lid on for right now," Steve assured him and gave him the address of the Edwards home.

"I will be there shortly Commander," Max answered and disconnected.

Steve pocketed his phone and looked at Danny.

"Let's move this guy out of the street. We don't need a car hitting our corpse and making matching his face difficult."

Danny grabbed the guy's arms as Steve lifted the legs and they shuffled him over to the curb. After straightening up, Steve felt a wave of pain race up his arm and into his shoulder. Danny watched his partner go pale and he grabbed Steve's good right arm.

"Sit down Superman before you fall down," he insisted and carefully pressed him down to sit on the curb. He was relieved to see that no one in this snooty neighborhood had come looking to see what had disturbed the afternoon peace. For once they hid behind their walls and pretended that nothing had been going on. Traffic was also light for the time of day.

It was a moment later that Steve's phone rang and he dug it out of his pocket with his right hand.

"Hey Chin, what do you have?"

"We've got a lead. A neighbor told the girls that she saw a delivery van that seemed to be lurking around that time of day. How are Rachel and the kids?"

"They are safe. We've got a body to identify, they resisted arrest and then we have a license plate number for an SUV they were driving," Steve informed him. Danny snatched the phone out of Steve's hand.

"Chin, its Danny. Steve is neglecting to add that he got shot in the arm in the process. We have to move quickly now since the kidnappers know we are on to them."

"Don't tell Catherine about the shooting," Steve said loudly and clutched his arm close to his body.

"We're on speaker here," Catherine replied in Danny's ear. "Put him on."

"Too late babe, she heard," Danny said handing back the phone to Steve.

"I'm okay Cath," Steve said holding the phone in his left hand as he kept a grip on his left bicep. He shot a death glare at Danny. "So what did you learn?"

"Sure you are," Catherine replied. "A neighbor got curious about a dry cleaning van that was parked several houses down from the Kwan's house. She wanted to call the cops but first she got a phone call and by the time she could look again, it was gone."

"We're heading back to headquarters to see if it shows up on any traffic cams coming out of the residential area at that time frame," Chin spoke up. "Do you need us on your scene?"

"No, Danny and I can handle it. See if you can identify that van and trace its route," Steve ordered. "Danny's right, we need to hurry now to find Lili."

"You get your arm tended to," Catherine ordered.

"Will do," Steve agreed and clicked off.

"Let me look at your arm," Danny said taking hold of Steve's arm and prying his fingers away from the wound. He pulled the sleeve of Steve's polo shirt up to examine the hole, pleased to see that the bleeding had slowed considerably. "I hate to say you are right but this doesn't look too bad. You do need to get that slug out though. Should I call Grace to come out here, the Aloha girls consider themselves experts in first aid thanks to our little adventure with them."

"No thanks Danno," Steve said pulling out of Danny's grasp. He clamped his hand back over his wound. "I'm sure Max can deal with it. You had better go give Rachel the all clear. We will put an HPD unit on the house until we catch this group."

"We need leads fast Steve or Lili Kwan might not survive the weekend," Danny said grimly.

End chapter.

**Now the clock is ticking. As long as they want to control the DA it is likely they won't harm the child, we hope. The muse had a nice weekend so I hope she will produce ideas faster. At least now the gang has some leads to follow. Thanks for reading.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Ka Pio VII**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. And it doesn't look like I ever will. Darn it!**

**Thanks for the lovely feedback; it truly does inspire the muse and me. **

Chapter 7

"We'll find them Danny," Steve promised as he sat on the curb. "Go check on Rachel and the kids. She needs you."

It was ten minutes or so that Max showed up in one of the coroner's smaller vans. Danny had rejoined McGarrett and they were both surprised to see Charlie Fong also emerge from the vehicle.

"Commander, you sounded very serious about this being a priority even if it is hush hush. I assumed that Charlie's expertise would help expedite any evidence we gather," Max announced as he hurried to them.

"Thank you Max," Steve answered and nodded to Charlie who had joined them with a gurney.

"Once you get our John Doe secured Max, Steve needs to have his arm looked at," Danny told the medical examiner.

Max looked at Steve and noticed the trickle of blood running down his arm.

"Commander?"

"Just loaded the body first Max, this can wait. We need to identify this guy quickly. I checked but there was no wallet on him."

"Det. Williams, would you assist Charlie with the body? I will take a look at Steve's arm," Max said stepping over to Steve. He carefully lifted Steve's sleeve as he bent over the task force leader to examine the wound. Red blood had stained the colorful tattoo on the Commander's upper left arm. Max studied it intently and then he blinked at McGarrett as he released his arm. "I should encounter little difficulty in removing the bullet and I'm confident it will heal without causing too much damage to the artistic design you have there," he stated. "I will retrieve my bag and tend to this immediately."

Steve's mouth quirked at the corners at Max's serious tone as the medical examiner hurried back to the van.

"Heaven forbid anything should happen to your body art," Danny said as he returned to Steve after helping Charlie. "Are you riding in with them or with me?"

"I'll go in with them. Why don't you wait until the protective detail from HPD gets here, and then join us at the Max's office. I'm sure Rachel will feel better if you stay until they arrive," Steve replied.

"Good idea," Danny agreed and held out his hands for his car keys. With a grin, Steve handed them over.

Max returned and quickly went to work extracting the small caliber slug and then bandaged Steve's arm. They headed back to the morgue hoping to put a name to the body they were transporting.

*H 5-0*

At headquarters, Chin, Kono and Catherine went to work searching the feeds from the traffic cams around the residential area the Kwan family lived in. They kept on the lookout for a white panel van with the words Pikake Cleaners on its sides along with a painting of a large jasmine flower. They all followed the feeds running in the time frame of the kidnapping.

"There it is," Kono said freezing a frame. "Look there is the van, turning the corner right there." They could all see the van with the large flower adorning its side merging into the busy traffic on the street. She slowly advanced frame by frame until they could get an enlarged shot of the license plate. Chin took note of the direction the van was headed and began programming the traffic cam recordings that ran down the street. He and Catherine watched the van flow with the traffic along a route that headed south, away from the heart of Honolulu.

"Just where are they going?" Catherine murmured. "Is the store in that direction?"

"No, it's not," Kono said as she traced the license plate and retrieved the store location. "Pikake Cleaners are located up near the Ala Moana Shopping Center. It's a single location business that has been owned by Sam Kaapana for twenty-five years," she reported. "No blemishes on his record that I can find."

"Perhaps the shop is a front for one of Newalu's money laundering operations. One we might have missed in his records," Chin guessed.

"Could be," Kono agreed. "I think we need to pay him a visit."

They watched the van merge onto the H 1 highway and disappear out of the camera's range, heading in the direction of Hawai'I Kai.

Chin pulled out his phone and called HPD for a BOLO on the van. He gave them the last known heading for the vehicle. Both women looked at him curiously.

"The kidnappers now know we're on to them, "he said. "We need any information that van can give us. My guess is that it was abandoned and they switched to a less conspicuous vehicle. The gloves are officially off."

"You are probably right," Kono agreed. "And we need to speak to Mr. Kaapana as soon as possible."

"Catherine, why don't you go to Max's office and brief Steve and Danny on what we've learned," Chin suggested. "Let them know we've got HPD searching for the van and Kono and I are going to question the owner of Pikake Cleaners."

"Steve doesn't need me to hold his hand Chin," Catherine said lightly, assuming Chin thought she was worrying about Steve's injury. "I can wait for him at home."

"It would be a bigger help if you could personally bring them up to speed. Kono and I will be busy with the dry cleaner and can't give them the details they may need. Lili Kwan needs us to move swiftly. Please help us out here," Chin requested.

"Of course Chin, I can do that," Catherine gave in. "I'm glad to help out any way I can. Good luck with Mr. Kaapana."

Without further conversation, Catherine hurried out to catch Steve and Danny before they left Max's office.

"Chin…" Kono asked, looking puzzled. "You know we could brief Steve and Danny over the phone on the way to Pikake Cleaners."

Chin nodded and motioned for her to follow him out of the office.

"Yes, I know that but something else just occurred to me. We are forgetting the motive behind Lili's kidnapping and the botched kidnapping at Rachel's. If this is Hoku Mokiao behind all this, he wants his nephew to walk free from the trial," he said as they headed down the stairs toward the parking lot. "First he grabs Lili to control the DA. Then his help attempts to grab Rachel and the kids, presumably to influence Danny's testimony. That failed and they lost a man. If they are still looking for leverage…"

"Then they might make an attempt to take Catherine to stop Steve from testifying," Kono said finishing his sentence.

"That or getting revenge for the man Steve killed," Chin added. "I know that Catherine is capable of defending herself but she may not see this coming. I just figured that if she was with Steve and Danny then she would be safe."

"That is brilliant Cuz," Kono said in admiration. "And by asking her to help you kept her from arguing."

They had reached the parking lot and Chin unlocked the Traverse.

"Truthfully, it will be better if she briefs them in person. She can fill in any details," Chin told her as they got in the car. "And I assume Catherine will figure out my other motive for sending her there, she is a smart lady. I could be wrong about a threat to her but it's better to be safe than sorry. Let's not underestimate whoever is running this operation. Now….we need answers from Kaapana." He started the car and headed for the street.

"I'm willing to trust your feelings on this," Kono said as Chin pulled out into traffic. "We need a break soon."

*H 5-0*

Catherine arrived at the Medical Examiner's office and was directed to the autopsy room where Steve and Danny were watching Max and Charlie work.

"Cath," Steve said in surprise when he spotted her first. "You didn't have to come check on me, honest, I'm fine." He indicated the bandage around his upper arm.

"I'm sure you are fine Sailor. Chin sent me to brief you guys on what we found. Chin and Kono are off to question Sam Kaapana, the owner of Pikake Cleaners. The van that was lurking in the Kwan's neighborhood belongs to that store."

"Did the van go back to the store?" Steve asked.

"No, we lost it when it got on the H 1 heading south towards Koko Crater. Chin put a BOLO out on it. He figures they would likely abandon it somewhere and that the kidnappers switched vehicles once out of the city limits," she answered.

"Chin or Kono could have called us with that information," Danny pointed out.

Catherine glanced at Danny and chuckled slightly.

"I think Chin was playing big brother. He really pushed me to come here in person when I said I'd go wait at home for Steve."

"Why…oh," Danny said as things fell into place for him. "So it is Chin's theory that they have more kidnappings planned?"

"They're covering their bases," Steve agreed. "Controlling the DA can influence the outcome of the trial but the odds of Newalu getting off increase if 5-0's testimony goes out the window too." He slipped his good arm around Catherine's waist. "If Mokiao is behind this, he would be biting off more than he could chew by taking on you," he added smiling down at her.

"You say the sweetest things," Catherine confirmed smiling back.

"Ah…..Commander, Det. Williams, I believe we can provide a name for your body," Max interrupted. He was standing next to Charlie who had been working facial recognition and finger prints on the computer. As they moved closer they could see a driver's license displayed on the screen.

"Kele Natua; age thirty-three and he resides in Kailua. He has listed bartender as his occupation," Charlie filled them in. "I'm checking for a police record but so far only some parking tickets and three drunk and disorderly arrests are listed," he reported.

"That doesn't sound like an easy jump to kidnapping," Danny commented. "We need to find out how Natua's friends were."

End chapter.

**We have an identity and another lead. Let's hope the gang can close in quickly. Thanks for reading.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Ka Pio VIII**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. I will never own it and I guess I have to live with that.**

**Thank you for all the lovely reviews. I am running a little late since I have to work more days this week and that cut into my writing time.**

Chapter 8

Chin parked the Traverse near Pikake Cleaners and the two cousins headed for the shop. When they entered, a bored high school student looked up from the books she was studying and eyed them critically. She let her gaze sweep over them and sighed.

"Picking something up? I'll need to see your ticket," she announced when she noticed that they were not bringing in anything to drop off.

"We need to talk to Sam Kaapana," Chin informed her, flashing his badge.

"Uh….Mr. Kaapana isn't here right now, he's off island," she stammered in surprise. "I…..uh, would you like to speak to Jimmy? He is running the shop while the boss is away."

"Jimmy?" Kono questioned.

"Mr. Kaapana's son. His is in charge while the Mr. Kaapana is on vacation."

"Is he here right now?" Chin enquired.

"Sure, he's in back," she said motioning towards a closed door. "Do you want me to tell him you are here?"

"That's okay, we'll announce ourselves," Chin responded and led the way to the back office. He threw open the door to the office and surprised the man in his early thirties who was lounging behind the desk. The man straightened up in the chair, exited the computer site he had been on and looked guiltily at the two 5-0 members.

"What the hell," he exclaimed.

"Jim Kaapana, we are 5-0 and we need to know where one of your vans is at the moment. And you need to tell us who was authorized to use it yesterday," Chin said sternly. His gaze bored into the young man's eyes. "We have evidence it was used to kidnap a young girl yesterday afternoon."

"What? No way! Why would you think I would be involved in kidnapping a child? What the hell are you talking about?" Jim swore surging out of his chair.

"Your van was used to kidnap a child yesterday afternoon. We have witnesses from the neighborhood that saw your van parked near the girl's home," Kono said plainly. "Tell us who was driving that van." She pushed a photo across the desk. Jim looked at the traffic cam picture and went pale.

"I…..uh, I lent that van to a friend. But he couldn't be involved in a kidnapping. He asked to use the van to help friends move something. I knew Dad wouldn't approve but Kele is a good guy, he just needed it for the day," Jim protested. "He'd never use it for something illegal."

"Who is Kele?" Chin pounced on the name.

"Kele Natua, he's a buddy of mine from volleyball," Jimmy told them. "He said he needed a van to help friends. Yesterday was slow and with Dad gone fishing on Kaua'I so I didn't see the harm."

"Well your buddy was lying to you. We need to know how to get in touch with him," Kono demanded.

"Kele would never be involved in kidnapping…..I know it," Jimmy stated firmly.

"Give us his phone number, we need to talk to him," Kono ordered as Chin's phone rang.

"Kelly."

"Chin, we have a name for our body," Steve announced.

"Kele Natua," Chin responded.

"I won't ask how you know that," Steve answered. "But you are right. Let me guess, he is the guy who had the van."

"Yes, he borrowed it from the shop owner's son. Jimmy Kaapana is a friend of Kele's."

"Well, tell him that his buddy is dead because he shot at 5-0. We need to know who Natua is working with so scare the crap out of him if necessary," Steve advised.

"Sure thing Steve. I'm sure Jimmy will be very interested to know his buddy is dead after a shoot out with you," Chin replied before breaking off the conversation. He looked at Jim who had been listening with wide eyes. As the implication sank in he buried his head in his hands.

"No….Kele would not hurt a child," he groaned.

"It certainly looks like he did and then he tried a second kidnapping that got him killed," Chin said coming around to grasp Kaapana's shoulder. "We need to know who he was working with."

"I don't know," Jim moaned. He looked up, his gaze swinging between the cousins. "He never said and I didn't ask."

"Lying to us will just land you in jail," Kono warned.

"I swear I don't know," the man wailed. "God, Dad is gonna kill me. I just thought I was helping out a friend."

"Listen to me, there is a child's life hanging in the balance. If you don't want her dead bruddah, give us a name," Kono threatened.

Another moan escaped the young man behind the desk. He shook his head and once again buried his head in his hands.

"I'm dead," he groaned. Chin and Kono exchanged looks, believing that the man was not aware of what his van had been used for. He may have provided the transport but Jimmy Kaapana was not actively involved in Lili Kwan's kidnapping. At least for now they believed that.

"Listen Mr. Kaapana, we believe you for the moment. We want you to stay in town and be available for further questioning. And if you can give us a name, we need it," Chin told him sternly.

"I will….if I can help I will. I just don't remember Kele telling me who he needed the van for. I can ask the guys from our beach volleyball team if he said anything to them," Jim offered.

"Just give us the names, we will question them," Kono said quickly.

"I'll write them down," Jim said quickly and did so.

With the list in hand, Chin and Kono returned to the Traverse and headed back to headquarters. On the way Kono called McGarrett.

"Hey Boss, Kaapana gave us a list of members of his volleyball team that he and Natua belonged to. We're hoping that one of them will know who Kele borrowed the van to help."

"That's great Kono. We're on the way back to headquarters, how about we pick up dinner and then we can all go over what we've learned," Steve replied.

"Sounds great….did you remember your wallet or is Danny buying?" Kono asked with a grin.

"I am not buying!" Danny could be heard protesting. "McGarrett offered and he had better have the money to back it up."

"Ignore him Kono," Steve chuckled. "I'm buying."

"And I will make sure of it," Catherine spoke up.

"See you back at the office," Kono said and clicked off. "Looks like Catherine hasn't figured out your move yet Cuz," she added to Chin.

"We will know that for sure if there is dinner for four and not five," Chin grinned, not really worried. He glanced at his cousin, his expression becoming serious. "So do you really buy the story that Kaapana is selling?" He was looking to see if she had the same impression he did knowing that McGarrett would want to know if they agreed.

"I do, he just doesn't strike me as that good of an actor," Kono responded. "He is worried sick that his father is going to tear him apart for lending out this van."

"I'm not convinced that he totally bought into the moving story from Natua but I don't think he knew it would be used for a kidnapping," Chin said thoughtfully. "I'm willing to believe he isn't part of this plot."

"So if it is Hoku Mokiao behind all this then we have to find out who he knows on this island and then match it up to Kele's friends."

Chin nodded trying to figure out how they could connect the dots in this case. Each lead seemed to leave them with more questions.

"Chin, do you think Mokiao is doing this on his own or is Newalu orchestrating this from his prison cell?" Kono asked.

"There was no record of Hoku visiting his nephew in Halawa but I think his mother has been there twice to visit Kekoa," Chin answered. "I guess we have more digging to do."

They beat the others back to headquarters by ten minutes. Kono went right to work entering the names that Kaapana had given her into the computer while Chin dug even deeper into Mokiao's background. Steve, Danny and Catherine came in carrying bags from a deli that the team favored and McGarrett insisted that everyone take a break to eat.

The next half hour was devoted to eating and letting the stress of a long day roll off their shoulders. Pushing forward without relief tended to make people careless. Catherine let Chin know that she had figured out the motive behind his actions and then thanked him for caring. Steve sat back and nodded in satisfaction to see his team catch their second wind.

He shrugged off concern for his own wound and then requested that the cousins take him through the interview with Jim Kaapana. He did frown when they asserted their belief that the man had no idea a kidnapping was the reason for the van being borrowed.

"This whole thing does not sound like a pro job. Kekoa Newalu is too smart to go after Rachel and the kids. He might take Lili but he'd never involve anyone related to 5-0," he stated. "I'm willing to bet if this is Mokiao, he's doing this on his own, trying to get his nephew off."

Chin had gone to retrieve a print out and he returned frowning at the paper.

"Damn, we missed one important connection in our search of Mokiao. He has a step-daughter from his wife's first marriage. The girl and her husband moved to Honolulu just last month. Alika and Hanale Kaoao now reside in Pearl City," he announced.

Steve's phone interrupted Chin's report.

"Commander McGarrett, back off or Lili Kwan is dead," a voice announced grimly.

End chapter.

**So we get a lead and we get a threat. Not sure that telling Steve to let something go is a good idea. Thank you so much for reading.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Ka Pio IX**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. I do suspect that it has taken over my life or at least it invades it constantly.**

**Thank you everyone who has read and/or reviewed. I really do appreciate the support.**

Chapter 9

"Who is this?" Steve demanded of the caller, although he didn't expect to get an answer. He activated the speaker and set the phone on the smart table. Kono quickly set about tracing the call.

"My name is not important. I'm giving you this one warning Commander. Forget about Lili Kwan or you will be responsible for her death."

"If you kill that child there is nowhere on these islands that you can hide. You won't get away with taking an innocent girl's life," Steve promised.

"What happens to her is in your hands. You should never have become involved in this matter," The voice chided. It sounded like an older male who made no effort to disguise his voice.

"You involved us when you went after my family," Danny said angrily.

"Family is important, isn't it Det. Williams? Do not fool yourself into thinking I am doing this for anything less important. I am prepared to carry out my threat."

"Kekoa Newalu will not walk away from this trial a free man," Steve informed the caller. "You do not control the justice system."

"Tell that to Michael Kwan Commander," the man answered. "Do as I say or the child will die." A loud click was heard and then dead air.

"Kono?" Steve enquired.

"He was smart enough to use a burner phone. The signal bounced off numerous towers before coming to us," she replied in frustration. "I've got nothing."

"Damn it," Steve growled in annoyance.

"I guess they aren't as inexperienced as we hoped," Chin commented.

"And they aren't afraid of us," Danny added. "They are either very stupid or they really think we will stay on the sidelines out of fear for Lili's life."

"Then he hasn't studied up on 5-0," Steve said firmly. "And while he didn't admit it, he did infer that he's family to Newalu. I'm sure that was Hoku Mokiao who placed the call." He looked at Chin who was still holding the papers he had been bringing in when the phone call came. "So tell us about this step-daughter and her husband."

"As I said…Alika and Hanale Kaoao moved to Oahu a month ago and live in Pearl City. Alika never was officially adopted by Hoku so she never had his last name. That's the reason she wasn't red flagged when we did our first search."

"Too many missed connections," Danny grumbled.

"I'm willing to bet they know Kele Natua in some way," Kono spoke up.

"Check their employment records. Track them down," Steve ordered.

"On it Boss," Kono confirmed and went to work.

"I'm checking on Rachel and Grace," Danny announced as he headed for his office.

Steve and Chin exchanged looks and Catherine stayed quiet, letting the team work without her interference. She did keep a close eye on Steve, worried that he was ignoring the discomfort his arm had to be feeling. She was well acquainted with how he could tune out physical pain when he was focused on his job. It was possible that she would have to be the one to remind him to step back and give himself time to recover from the gunshot wound.

"If Mokiao thinks he can scare 5-0 off the case then he is greatly mistaken," Steve told Chin.

"I think he's desperate to get his nephew off and didn't think it would get this complicated," Chin answered.

"He was never involved with Kekoa's activities and I think he has been prompted to do this by Newalu but it's gotten out of hand. Hoku should have never gone after Rachel and Grace, it got us more deeply involved," Steve reflected.

Kono moved a pair of driver's licenses up to the overhead screens with a sweep of her hand and called out to the others.

"Here are Alika and Hanale Kaoao," she announced.

Everyone could see a fairly pretty woman and a nice looking man, the Hawaiian couple both smiling from their photos. The information said they were in their early thirties. "Alika works at a boutique in the Ala Moana Shopping Center and Hanale is a bartender at a Waikiki club called the Anuhea Pua Lounge. Guess who else works at the same club?"

"Kele Natua," everyone else said at once.

"You all win the prize," Kono informed them. "I have the Kaoao's address but I doubt they are hiding Lili there, it's a small apartment in a rather large complex. Not an ideal place for holding a child hostage without alerting your neighbors to what you are doing."

"After this phone call I'm willing to bet that they're moving Lili to another location," Danny stated.

"Since Hoku has not lived on Oahu, it's unlikely he would know where to take Lili. He had to rely on either his step-daughter or maybe Natua. We need to dig deeper into Kele's background and see if he has a place where he could hold the girl. Chin, Kono, go interview the co-workers at the lounge. Someone may know where the guys hung out when not working. We need some leads to follow," Steve instructed. He looked at his watch. "It is too late to check the shopping center; the stores will be closing soon. We will check Alika's co-workers tomorrow."

"Okay Steve," The cousins' replied.

"If we head out now we can beat the Friday night crowd and be able to talk to the staff at the club before it gets too busy," Chin decided.

"If we learn anything useful we will give you a call," Kono added.

"Good, when you two are done then head home, we'll start fresh in the morning," Steve told them. "We can't storm in on anyone without preparation; it will only get Lili killed if we go in gun blazing."

"I am so happy to hear you say that," Danny said with a sigh.

"We will go back over what we have here before heading home. Maybe something will pop that we missed the first few times around," McGarrett said throwing Danny a dark look.

"We will stay in touch," Chin promised.

Danny and Catherine had turned back to the computer table with Danny letting Catherine handle the technical equipment while he watched.

"If you want I can teach you some short cuts on this baby," Catherine offered as her fingers flew over the table.

"That's okay, I know how to run it, I'm just being a good host," Danny protested. "Besides I think these things were made for women with smaller hands."

"Don't let Chin hear you say that," Steve advised as he moved next to Catherine, across from Danny. "Let's just concentrate on places they might have taken Lili. Do we have any properties that Natua's family holds?"

"Natua lived in a trailer park on the outskirts of Kailua," Danny related. "I imagine that he might be able to hold the girl there. But that might not be easy with the neighbors close by. Those trailers are not known for being soundproofed. There is a report that the HPD found the dry cleaner's van late this afternoon. It was abandoned at a beach front parking area by Kailua Beach. The CSU found hair strands that matched Lili Kwan and two other sets of fingerprints other than the girl's. These idiots didn't even wear gloves or wipe the van down."

"Amateurs," Steve said shaking his head. "They haven't thought it through and they're making mistakes. That got Natua killed."

"So does this put Lili at greater risk?" Catherine asked in concern. "Are they more likely to kill her without thinking it through?"

"No, Hoku knows that she is the only leverage he has right now. I think she is too valuable to them."

"Thinking that is a big gamble Steve," Danny pointed out.

"Well right now we don't know where they are holding her so there's not much we can do, is there?" Steve said sharply, anger creeping into his voice.

Catherine slid one hand over to cover one of Steve's in an attempt to calm him. She looked across the table at Danny sympathetically.

"You've both done all you can for the moment. You'll find a lead or Chin and Kono will dig something up. You can't push yourself every minute of the day," she soothed. "Steve, your arm is hurting I can tell you could use some rest and recovery time. Danny, are you going to go to Rachel's?"

"She asked me if I would. It seems my ex-wife suddenly feels safer if I am in the guest bedroom," Danny replied with a sheepish smile.

"Then go man," Steve urged. "I am sure Rachel will appreciate having you there. We will call if anything breaks."

"Catherin, take the stubborn SEAL home," Danny said noticing the fine pain lines that were appearing around Steve's eyes. He could see that the woman was right, they had done all they could for the moment. Working without any rest would only increase the mistakes they might make; they needed to come at this with fresh eyes.

The thought of leaving still didn't sit well with the two men, even though they knew they needed some sleep. An eleven year old girl was spending her second night as a hostage and that ate at both of them. Neither man figured they would get much sleep but they did need to decompress.

Steve's shoulder was beginning to throb sharply as the pain meds he had taken at the morgue began to wear off and he knew his body well enough to recognize that he needed some rest. Danny was anxious to check on Grace and get a much needed hug from his daughter. Perhaps the threat to Rachel and the kids was past but he was not going to take a chance on that. Who knew how many others were working with Mokiao.

Reluctantly they turned out the lights and headed out of the office.

End chapter.

**I am sure the guys would love to work through the night but that would not get them closer to finding Lili. The muse said they needed to rest and no one argues with the muse. Thanks for reading.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Ka Pio X**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. And now we have to wait for fall for new episodes and adjust to a new night for our show.**

**Thank you to all of you that read and reviewed.**

Chapter 10

Catherine tried to relax on the couch once they got home but McGarrett's pacing was making it difficult. After taking a much needed dose of pain meds, he now was unable to stay still and paused only to glare at the silent cell phone that lay on the coffee table. Finally she had enough of the tension; Steve was getting no rest this way.

"Steve, don't make me call your mother," she announced.

That stopped McGarrett in his tracks and he looked at her in surprise.

"What did you say?"

"Well at least it got your attention. Sit down Steve; you need to rest, not pace. The pain medication can't help much if you don't let your whole body relax and recover," she replied. Patting the cushion next to her, she smiled at him. "Come sit down. Chin will call if they learn anything useful. Glaring at your phone will not make it ring."

A small smile flitted across Steve's face and he dutifully circled the coffee table and sat down next to her.

"I hate waiting. Lili is spending a second night as a captive and it is my fault. I screwed up today, she should be home with her family tonight," he muttered.

"How did you screw up Steve?"

"I killed Natua. If I had only wounded him we could have questioned him and rescued Lili today," Steve confessed. He bowed his head, resting his forearms on his knees and stared at the floor. "Danny's right, I tend to shoot first and think second."

Catherine quickly reached out and gently rubbed one hand in small circles between his shoulder blades.

"No Steve, that's not true. You were fired on first and reacted instinctively to protect yourself. It was a split second decision and you behaved properly," she told him. "Danny is not right, you don't always shoot first and you certainly do think before you act in normal situations. I don't think he understands the way the military does things. You are a product of your training."

"We lost a valuable lead with Natua dead."

"There will be other leads. You'll find Mokiao and his family and rescue Lili. I know you will," she said confidently as she moved her fingers up to rub the back of his neck.

The hope that shown in his eyes as he looked up at her made Catherine's heart skip a beat. She knew that there was a more to this man than the combat hardened Navy SEAL some people saw. Danny's rants were meant to be teasing but Catherine knew Steve often took the experienced detective's comments to heart.

"They have to be on this island somewhere. Someone knows more than they've told us. Hoku is not from this island, someone had to find a place to hide the child. The Kaoao's came here a month ago, they had to be the advance team," he mused.

A knock on the door had Steve bounding to his feet and he rushed to answer it. Chin Ho Kelly was waiting on the other side.

"Chin, come in. What did you learn?" Steve demanded as he motioned him inside.

"Kaoao and Natua had taken time off two days ago, telling their co-workers that they had rented a place on the North Shore, around Sunset Beach. They said they were going to surf, scuba dive and do some spear fishing," Chin reported once inside the house.

"Do we know what company they rented from? Where is the place they rented?"

"One of the waitresses gave us the rental company. Jenny Bowers had been dating Kele occasionally and she hoped that Natua would invite her up for the weekend to party."

"We need to contact the rental company and get that address," Steve stated as he reached for his phone.

"Kono's on it. She tracked down the owner and convinced him he didn't want the Governor angry with him so he gave her the information," Chin told him. "Unfortunately Hanale Kaoao returned the key early this evening; he said their plans have changed. He didn't even push for the remaining money they had paid."

"That means they've moved Lili," Steve said, his frustration rising. "We missed our chance. We need CSU to go over that rental."

"Kono is taking care of that as well. I'm on my way up there too. We'll have answers by morning," Chin assured him. "I just wanted to bring you up to speed so you can get a good night's sleep," he added grinning.

"Thanks Chin, I've been having trouble getting him to relax," Catherine said smiling at the man.

"It must be bad if you can't entice him to rest," Chin chuckled. "Steve, we've got this covered, rest and we will see you tomorrow."

"I give up," Steve groaned as the other two laughed. "I'm going to bed."

"We will get a lead. And we will see you in the morning," Chin assured him and let himself out.

Catherin rose and moved to Steve's side. Tucking her arm through his good right arm, she tugged him towards the stairs.

"Come on Commander, let's get some rest. I'll make it worth your time," she teased.

"Anything you say Lieutenant," Steve grinned as he followed her lead.

*H 5-0*

Danny Williams was still up and unable to sleep at midnight as he wandered the hallway upstairs at the Edward's home. He found himself drawn to his daughter's bedroom and he quietly eased the door open and leaned against the frame to watch Grace peacefully sleeping in the dim light. Leave it to Stan to install dimmer switches so the lights could remain on in the halls all night. There would be no stumbling in the dark when Rachel checked on the children.

"She's fine Danny. And for the record, you are a very good father," Rachel spoke softly from behind him.

"I wasn't sure you noticed," Danny responded just as softly. He turned to face her.

"Daniel, I don't hate you. The truth is I was never cut out to be a police officer's wife, I'm not strong enough," Rachel admitted softly. She couldn't meet his eyes as she hugged herself. "I know that I over react when I fear that Grace is in danger. You know what…..she is much stronger than I am, she gets that from you."

"I can't change what I am Rachel. I'm a cop and I'm good at what I do. 5-0 is my home now," Danny said honestly, touched by her admissions. "I'll die before I let anyone hurt Grace or you and Charlie."

"I would really prefer that you don't die Danny," Rachel said with a small smile. "I will make an effort to be more like our daughter and trust her Danno from now on."

"Thank you Rachel," Danny said in relief and surprise.

"I really hope you get the leads you need to save that little girl. I know you can find her," she assured him. With a nod, she turned away and headed for the master bedroom. "Good night Danny," she said over her shoulder.

Danny watched her disappear into her bedroom and then shook his head in amazement. Then he looked back at his sleeping daughter.

"Monkey, your mother can still manage to surprise me," he murmured under his breath. He leaned in to grab the doorknob to pull the door closed. "Sleep well sweetheart, Danno loves you," he whispered and closed the door.

He headed back to the guest bedroom feeling lighter in his soul in a long time. He had heard from Chin so he knew they had some leads and he could believe there would be a break in the case. There was hope they could find Lili soon. Like McGarrett had stated, amateurs make mistakes. This group had been forced to adjust their plans and they would slip up. He also believed that Steve was right that Hoku Mokiao would not harm Lili yet, she was too valuable as a lever. He crawled into the plush guest bed and fell asleep.

*H 5-0*

Kono Kalakaua fond that should could operate on very little sleep if she felt they were close to finishing a case. She had gotten home at 1A.M. and slept soundly until 6. They had gathered enough evidence at the rental to prove that Lili had been held there. They had also collected prints that confirmed that Alika, Hanale and Kele had also been there. A fourth set of prints that were only on the front door frame was also found and they hadn't confirmed they belonged to Hoku Mokiao as of last night. She was sure that would be on the report this morning. Feeling that they were close to breaking this case wide open had her up and alert.

As she arrived at headquarters at 7:15, she was surprised when her phone started ringing. She had just pulled into a parking space and pulled out her phone.

"Kalakaua."

"Officer Kalakaua, this is Jimmy Kaapana," a worried void greeter her.

"Yes Mr. Kaapana, how can I help you?" Kono asked, not sure what to expect.

"I came in today to clean up the van that HPD fond before my father got home. While I was here I noticed that the key to my folk's vacation home up by Hau'ula is missing from the drawer. I know it was here before Kele borrowed the van. I didn't notice that it was missing yesterday, but when I did today I knew I should call you," he said anxiously. "I hope I did the right thing calling."

"You did Mr. Kaapana," Kono said brightly. "Can you come down here so you can show us where the vacation home is located? It would be a big help."

"I can do that Officer. I can be there shortly. My dad is going to kill me…." He groaned as he hung up.

Kono rushed inside and up the stairs to the 5-0 offices.

"Hey Boss…..I've got a lead," she announced happily as she spotted McGarrett standing by the smart table.

End chapter.

**I think we are finally on a roll here. Lili should be found soon. I may not be able to post the next chapter next Monday as usual. We are currently awaiting a phone call announcing that my daughter is giving birth to our first grandchild. So I may not be near a computer in the next few days to get the next chapter ready. I promise I will be back as soon as things settle down.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Ka Pio XI**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. Sure wish I did but since that isn't the case I will just borrow the characters for some fun.**

**Thank you all for your patience while I was gone. My beautiful granddaughter arrived on June 27****th**** and we had a wonderful time visiting with her and her parents. Now I can return to my story and try to get back on schedule.**

Chapter 11

Steve and Danny both charged over to Kono while Chin remained at the smart table.

"What do you have?" McGarrett demanded eagerly.

"Jimmy Kaapana just called me. He discovered this morning that the key to his parent's vacation home up at Hau'ula is missing. He thinks that maybe Kele Natua may have taken the key when he stopped by to pick up the van. I think this our best lead to where Lili has been moved to," Kono announced.

"Great news," Steve declared. "It is the best lead so far. We need him in here as soon as possible."

"He's on his way in," Kono confirmed. "He is willing to answer any questions we have about the house."

"Is he sure that Natua was able to take the key?" Danny asked. "I mean, how sure is he that his folks don't have the key with them?"

"He said it was there just the other day and now it's gone. This all makes sense and right now it is all we have to go on," Kono replied. "We have to check it out."

"And that is just what I am doing," Chin said from over at the table. His fingers were flying over the board as he brought up a map of the Hau'ula area. Then he used a second screen to check property records for a home owned by Sam Kaapana. Confirming the address, he enlarged that section of the map from an aerial view. "The house is located near the end of Koaniani Drive which is a dead end road. It isn't completely isolated but the lots are large and there is some space between the homes on that street. If Jimmy talked about his parent's place to Kele and Hale it would make sense that they might have thought of the place as a backup."

McGarrett studied the map that was displayed, coolly assessing it as if it was a military target. He quickly rejected the idea of a straight on assault since the front yard was open and exposed. But he liked how the back of the property offered a very good chance to get close to the house unseen. Both sides of the home were wooded and the back had a large wooded area with no houses behind it. If they could get around to the back they could surprise the occupants of the building. He could see why the location had appealed to those holding Lili; it was not likely that the neighbors saw anything. He smiled in satisfaction as a plan took form.

"I think our fearless leader has a plan," Danny observed as he noticed Steve's smile.

"This will work. We have the perfect cover from the back of the property. What we need is Kaapana to give us the layout of the house. Once we know where they would keep a prisoner, we can plan our entrance," Steve explained.

"We can use body heat sensors and sound enhancers to track where everyone is in the house," Kono suggested.

"And we will have SWAT for backup…..right?" Danny added.

"Good idea Kono," Steve nodded and then he looked at Danny and smirked. "We'll have SWAT wait down the road while we go in first. If we run this op right we won't need them but for Lili's safety, it would be smart to have them close by."

"So glad you see it my way," Danny said rolling his eyes. "I guess you can be taught."

"I'll give SWAT a call and let them know just what we need from them," Chin said trying to keep things on track and preventing an argument from breaking out. He headed to his office and reflected that it was a relief not to have to deal with the hostility from HPD that he had encountered when he first joined 5-0. Having his name cleared and repairing the relationship he had with his fellow officers had restored for him the respect he deserved. The request for backup on this operation was quickly approved the minute Chin mentioned it was to save Lili Kwan.

He returned to the bullpen to see that Jimmy Kaapana had arrived and was explaining the layout of his parent's vacation home. The man looked stressed and very uncomfortable to have both McGarrett and Williams focused on him.

"It's just a simple ranch style house," Jimmy was saying. "There are three bedrooms on that end, then a bathroom and then a living room to the front and a dining room/kitchen in the rear," he added pointing to the screen.

"How many entrances are there?" Steve asked.

"The front door opens to the living room and the dining room has sliding patio doors that open onto the lanai," Jimmy responded. He looked around at the faces of the 5-0 team clustered around the table. And unpleasant through occurred him as he saw how grim everyone was. "You are going to have to break into the house, aren't you? My parents are going to kill me," he groaned.

"We will be as careful as possible but I make no promises," Steve said seriously. He did understand the stricken look on Kaapana's face and he sympathized, but they had few choices as to how this would go down. "It is very likely that an eleven year old girl is being held hostage in that house. It is our job to do whatever is necessary to get her safely out of there. I am sorry."

"We will try to make sure that she is being held there before we go charging in," Danny quickly assured him. "We will not break in if there is no one on the premises."

"I hope you are right but I may need you guys to explain this all to my folks or you will be dealing with a murder. Mine," Jimmy sighed.

"We do have ways to detect if anyone is in the house," Kono told him. "Are you sure that no other family will be using the home right now? If we detect people inside, can we assume they are there without permission? We do not want to burst in on any of your relatives with guns drawn."

"We don't have any family on Oahu," Jimmy replied. "Mom and Dad are visiting her family on Kaua'I. That's where Mom's relatives all live. Dad's family is on the Big Island. None of the family uses our vacation home; it is too small for all of them so it is just us. If someone is there, they were not invited," Jimmy confirmed.

"Good enough," Steve nodded. He didn't have time to worry about Kaapana's family issues. He was all ready looking for ways to move on the house with as little bloodshed as possible and not risk Lili's life.

"Jimmy," Chin spoke up. "What can you tell us about Hanale Kaoao? Is he hot tempered? Is he likely to shoot first and think second? Did he ever talk to you about his wife's step-father?" Chin peppered him with questions. "Did he ever mention Hoku Mokiao to you?"

"Mokiao? No, but then I only met his wife Alika twice. She never came to the volleyball games. Hanale said she worked evenings."

"Listen to me Mr. Kaapana, these people have taken a child and told her father that they'll kill her if he doesn't do as instructed. Natua shot Steve and died trying to kidnap my ex-wife and child. This is a serious situation and we need to know if Hanale is capable of taking a life," Danny tried to impress on Kaapana how important the information was.

Jim Kaapana had never been is a situation like this in his life and the strain was pressing down on him. He truly wished that he had never laid eyes on Kele and Hanale and was convinced that his father would kick him off the island for getting involved with those two.

"Natua was always laid back; a good dude and I can't see him shooting anyone. But since you say that is what went down….then I guess I really didn't know him. I would say that he was following Hanale's lead. Han does have a temper at times and you have to be careful not to tick him off. There was a side of him that he didn't show often but I never wanted to be on his bad side. He didn't like losing, even a darn volleyball game," Jimmy finally said. "He never talked about Alika's dad."

He gave the team a weak smile, hoping that he had given them what they wanted. He knew this was the right thing to do and he could only hope that his father would understand when all was explained to him. So far he had not called his dad….unwilling to face the harsh words he was sure to hear. He prayed that 5-0 could wrap this up successfully and not destroy his family's home in the process.

Satisfied with the information that Jimmy had provided, Steve motioned to his team to look at the map on the table.

"We need to use the cover along the sides of the house to reach the area behind it. That's why we need SWAT to hang back, too many bodies moving through the brush increases the chance of being spotted by those in the house. We need the element of surprise if we don't want to put Lili in more danger. Once we are in place we scan the area with the sound and heat monitors and see if we can pinpoint where they are holding Lili," he told them. He glanced around the table checking to see if they were following him. Everyone nodded. "I am guessing that they have Lili in the smallest bedroom, it is easier to secure."

"That would be the room closest to the bathroom, on the back side of the house," Jimmy confirmed.

"It only has one small window, not very easy access," Kono pointed out.

"It looks like the best way to get to the house is from the left corner where the trees are closest to the building," Danny observed, pointing to the corner near the bedroom end. "Once we get there we can move below the window levels and head to the lanai and the sliding glass doors. Or we can see if we can boost our smallest member through the bedroom in question's window."

"And that would be?" Kono enquired with raised eyebrows. "You are the shortest one here brah."

"But you are the skinniest," Danny grinned.

"That is a thought but it won't work if they have someone in the room with the girl," Steve interrupted their discussion. "If she is alone in there then we can try that. I would really like to know how armed Mokiao and his family are. If Hanale is hot tempered, we have to assume that he is not likely to surrender to us. We cannot have Lili caught in the line of fire. We should find a way to smoke them out or lure them out so that Lili is in the house alone."

"If we announce ourselves they may use Lili as a shield," Danny pointed out.

"I know. At Rachel's Alika had to be driving the car, Hanale let Kele do the shooting at me and he just got in and they drove off. Now they may all be in a shoot first mode, I really hate dealing with amateurs." Steve said in frustration.

"We do have surprise on our side Steve," Chin reminded him. "They know we are looking for them but they don't know that Jimmy is helping us out. If we move quickly they may not be prepared for us. They have to be off balance with all that has gone wrong for them. They aren't expecting us to find them so quickly."

"Well then let's get our gear together and move out. Lili should not have to spend one more night as a victim. Let's go get her and bring her back to her family," Steve said with determination.

End chapter.

**So they have a plan. Now the muse has to help me formulate a rescue that makes sense. There is action coming up and you know my muse…some whump is likely to occur. Thank you so much for reading.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Ka Pio XII**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. I am eagerly awaiting the start of season 4 and having new episodes to watch. Is it September yet?**

**I think that life is now getting back to normal and if things don't go crazy again, I should be back to my regular posting schedule. Thank you for your patience.**

Chapter 12

Time had lost all meaning for Lili Kwan. She sat in darkness, her wrists tied behind her back and her ankles bound as well. There was a dark cloth hood over her head and her shoulders ached from being held in an awkward position. Unable to see through the hood, she was able to sense that she was in a small confined space, most likely a closet. Shivering in fear, she tugged at her wrists bindings, trying to make them loosen. As she had discovered with previous attempts, they were too tightly tied and she then turned her attempt to removing the hood by rubbing against the wall closest to her. Tears streamed down her face as she reached the conclusion that it was pinned to her shirt and wouldn't budge.

Wearily she leaned against the wall and tried to find a comfortable position to sit. She had been disoriented ever since the large van had stopped next to her on her way home and someone had grabbed her, dragging her inside. A sharp needle had poked her arm and she had slid into unconsciousness. Once she had regained consciousness, she had discovered she had been tied up and this nasty hood was over her head. The people holding her only lifted the hood enough to give her water and some fruit along with crackers and peanut butter. If she resisted, she was punished and made to go hungry for what seemed like hours. Lili quickly adapted to the rules and no longer fought her captors so she was fed and given bathroom breaks

The woman in the group was her main caretaker and she was gentle if Lili cooperated. Lili was able to figure out that there were three others, two younger sounding men and one whose voice was harsh and older. Things had become tenser when one of the younger men seemed to go missing and there had been lots of yelling and then Lili had been put back in a vehicle and moved to this new place. It all seemed so hopeless to the little girl and she wasn't sure why they had taken her except she had overheard one conversation that was about her father. She prayed her daddy would come and find her, knowing that he had an important job and knew lots of policemen. Desperately she hoped that he had people looking for her and they would soon rescue her. Finally exhausted, Lili slid down to the floor and lay on her side, hoping that she could sleep and everything would be better when she woke.

*H 5-0*

McGarrett pulled the Camaro over to the side of the road on Koaniani Drive and parked. There were six houses on large lots between the corner and the Kaapana house. Chin stopped right behind the car and there was a SWAT van parked on the side street just around the corner.

"Well partner, are you ready to go rescue Lili?" Steve asked as he reached for the car door handle.

"More than ready. Remind me to thank the idiots for leaving their SUV in plain sight in the driveway. I like a criminal who advertises that they're home when HPD sends a helicopter over to check," Danny responded with a snort. "I guess Newalu didn't know we'd discover all the vehicles he owned before he was arrested. Hoku should have just bought something new for this kidnapping."

"Like I said…..amateurs," Steve nodded, his expression grim. "Once we move in we have to hope they'll be smart and just give in or this fight could get ugly."

"You do realize that they will most likely panic and start shooting, don't you? They may not be in awe of your military training and fight back," Williams replied with waving hands. "They may shoot first and think it through second."

"I'm aware of that Danno and that's why I said it could get ugly. So what do you suggest we do? Should I just politely ask them to surrender? I'm sure they'll just hand Lili over to us if we ask nicely."

"We…..need to pinpoint where everyone is in that house and then move in to extract Lili with as little fuss as possible. If Lili is alone in the room we suspect she is in, then we send Kono in after her. We arrest the others once the girl is safe," Danny explained as they exited the car and headed for the trunk.

"I agree that we use the sensors to locate everyone before we move. But…" Steve said as he reached into the trunk and extracted his vest, feeling Danny's eyes locked on him. "We do not want to risk anyone getting shot while crawling in through that small window. If they use Lili as a shield then we will have a whole new set of troubles," Steve pointed out as he fastened the straps on his vest. "I won't put Kono or Lili at risk that way."

"Still trying to push me through that window Danny?" Kono asked as she and Chin joined them. They had on their vests and were carrying the heat sensor and audio enhancing equipment.

"I can't help thinking that Lili will be less frightened if a woman shows up, that's all," Danny shrugged.

"Nice save brah," Kono chuckled. "If that window doesn't open easily, I'm sending you in first."

"Maybe they will give up if they find themselves outgunned. After all, they've lost one of their own," Danny quipped.

"Mokiao called us and ordered us to back off. I don't think he is inclined to give up easily. We had better be prepared to fight because this is too personal for Hoku to back down. We can try to reason with him but don't count on it," Steve answered. "Our main mission is to get Lili Kwan out safely."

"Then maybe we should go to the back of the properties from here and then head up towards Kaapana's house," Chin suggested.

"Before we move on this place we should have someone go house to house and make sure that everyone in these houses stays indoors. We do not need a curious neighbor interrupting this op," Steve instructed, pointing towards the homes nearby.

"I'm on it," Kono announced pulling a radio off her belt. She spoke to the SWAT captain and was assured that the problem would be dealt with. Moments later a uniformed officer jogged past them with a wave, while others could be seen setting up a roadblock at the intersection to keep traffic out.

Satisfied that the owners were going to be kept clear of the fight, Steve grabbed his weapon and nodded to the others.

"Let's move then."

Danny grabbed his own weapon and slammed the trunk shut and followed McGarrett to the back property line and the wooded area beyond. Once they were in the woods and knew that they could not be easily observed they made their way to a spot behind the Kaapana house.

"I just love how everything on this island becomes a jungle adventure," Danny groused as a branch slapped him in the face. "I think I need to carry a machete."

"We can arrange that," Steve remarked, recognizing Danny's need to let off some steam. "I'll let Denning know of your desire to carry a large sharp blade. Now can we focus?"

"Aye, aye Captain," Danny shot back.

"That's Lt. Commander to you," Steve ordered with a smirk. "Now let's get down to business."

Danny nodded and hurried to catch up with Kono and Chin. They positioned themselves behind the house and the cousins set about monitoring the house with the equipment they had brought along.

"I am getting four body heat readings," Chin announced as scanned the house from one end to the other. "There are two located in the kitchen/dining area, one is in the hall near the bedrooms and there is a smaller one in the room we thought that Lili might be held in."

Steve stared at the house, digesting the information.

"No one is going in that window while there is someone in the hallway outside. I will not risk it," he declared, not happy that this was going to be more difficult. He looked at Kono who was concentrating on the sounds from the audio sensor. "What are they saying?"

Kono clicked on the speaker while training the microphone on the kitchen area of the home.

"We need to move Hoku. I support your mission to free Kekoa but 5-0 is smart, they'll find us again," a young man's voice could be heard saying. "Kele is dead because of them. We underestimated them when we tried to take Williams' kid."

"They will not risk the Kwan child's life," a different voice responded.

"You don't know that. What if we are forced to kill the child, are you prepared to deal with the fallout for that? So far we are guilty of kidnapping but not murder. I lost a friend because you didn't take 5-0 seriously."

"Michael Kwan will not let 5-0 put his child in danger. He will stop them from looking for her. I will call him and tell him to make them back off."

He had barely finished talking when the cloned phone buzzed in Steve's pocket and then withdrew it to see a call to Kwan coming in. Steve waited for the DA to pick up the call and then he listened in.

"Yes?" he could hear the hesitant voice of Michael Kwan.

"You call 5-0 off…..if they come after us then Lili dies immediately."

"I can't call them off. They answer to the Governor. They are not under my jurisdiction," Kwan protested. "Please don't hurt Lili."

"Convince the Governor to call them off. This is the only warning you will get." Hoku demanded and broke the connection.

5-0 exchanged looks as the speaker once more let them in on the conversation in the house.

"See Hoku; let's take Lili back to Maui. We need to get off Oahu and find somewhere further away to hide the girl. We need to make it more difficult to find us."

"Shut up Hanale, I make the decisions in this family. Show me some respect. Go tell Alika to check on the child. Make sure she is fed and has taken care of her business. I will plan our next step," the older man could be heard commanding.

The four teammates exchanged looks.

"There is dissention in the ranks," Danny observed.

"Hoku is getting desperate," Chin added.

"No one is going in that window right now. They are on alert. Time for plan B," Steve decided.

"We go in through the patio doors by the lanai," Danny said. "We draw everyone down there before they get Lili out of that room."

"All but Kono. Once we have them distracted, she does go in that window but only once we have the three occupied," Steve decided. He looked at Kono. "Make sure we have them all busy, got that?"

Kono set down the audio scanner.

"Let's do this," she agreed.

End chapter.

**Thank you for reading. Some chapters are just a struggle to write. **


	13. Chapter 13

**Ka Pio XIII**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. I never will own it and I doubt that the current owners will sell. As long as they don't mind me playing with the characters I am okay.**

**Sorry I am posting late, this chapter has been giving my muse fits. When my muse has fits, she makes writing difficult. I hope you enjoy what eventually came out.**

Chapter 13

Steve took a second look at the body heat sensor readings and made a quick decision change.

"On second thought Kono, I want you to go in through the front bedroom's side window. Someone is in that room with Lili so we can't go in that way. Chin, I want you to go to the front door and when I give you the word, Danny and I will go in the back and we will catch them in a squeeze play. Let's move," he ordered sharply and headed for the house.

Chin and Kono left the equipment they were using on the ground and grabbed their weapons, following McGarrett. Danny brought up the rear, keeping his eye on the house as they approached. He was relieved to finally be taking positive action to save Lili.

At the rear corner of the house the foursome split up, Steve and Danny crouched low as they moved below the window levels towards the lanai. Kono went as far as the front bedroom's side window and was pleased to find it open. Chin patted her shoulder as he passed her and headed around the corner and made his way to the front door. Kono slung her rifle strap over her shoulder and hoisted herself inside the room. She swiftly crossed the room to the closed door and listened closely. Hearing nothing, she cracked the door open slightly in time to see Hanale Kaoao in the hallway just outside the open door of the third bedroom. As he closed the door, she eased her door closed and moved to the middle of the room. Kono informed Steve that she was in position.

Chin moved along the front of the house staying out of the window's sight lines and ascended the front steps. Hugging the wall beside the door, he waited for Steve's command to enter. He heard Kono announce that she was safely inside the house and prepared to kick the door in.

On the back side of the house, Steve led the way to the lanai with Danny on his heels. They were brought to an abrupt halt at the sound of the glass doors sliding open. McGarrett raised his weapon as Hoku Mokiao took one step outside and froze. His surprised eyes locked on McGarrett's for one brief moment.

"Hoku Mokiao, this is 5-0. Raise your hands and step outside," Steve ordered tersely.

Instead of complying, Hoku quickly disappeared inside and pulled the door closed.

"Hanale, Alika, 5-0 is here," he could be heard shouting.

"I don't think he's going to cooperate," Danny muttered as Steve jumped onto the lanai. Shots rang out, shattering the glass and forcing Steve back off the deck and against the wall.

"Chin, move in, distract them," Steve ordered. "Kono, be careful."

Moments later there was a crash from the font of the house and a shotgun blast could be heard. Answering shots rang out and both Steve and Danny moved back onto the lanai and went to the broken glass door.

Hoku had grabbed a gun from the breakfast bar and shot towards the outside, shattering the sliding glass doors. When the front door burst open and shotgun fire came from that room, he moved to the living room entrance arch and called for Hanale. Firing blindly around the corner into the living room, Hoku crouched low while Hanale positioned himself on the opposite side of the archway and watched the lanai doors.

Laying down some cover fire, Steve stepped through the broken glass door with Danny right behind him.

"Drop your weapons!" McGarrett ordered but his instructions were ignored.

Mokiao disappeared around the wall, firing at Chin while he crawled behind the high-backed sofa on the other side. Hanale began firing wildly, clearly not an expert shot but one slug slammed into Danny's chest knocking him backwards. Danny's head bounced off the edge of the breakfast bar's countertop as he fell. His vest saved his life but the knock to his head blurred his vision as he landed on the floor.

Steve brought his weapon up to fire at Hanale as the man backed up towards the nearest door but the man continued to fire and the shots fired forced McGarrett to drop to the floor to avoid being hit.

"Kono, get to Lili," Steve ordered, knowing she could hear him.

Kaoao disappeared into the bathroom and slammed the door closed as Kono left the bedroom she had been in and ran to the smaller bedroom that had been housing Lili. She nodded to Steve as he picked himself off the floor just before she entered Lili's prison.

"Danny, are you okay?" Steve asked as he looked around to check on his partner. He could see Danny sitting up and rubbing the back of his head.

"Yea, I'll live," Danny answered. "Where are Mokiao and Hanale?"

"Hanale is in the bathroom so he's not going anywhere," Steve replied as he knew the window in that room was too narrow to escape through. "Hoku is in the living room. Chin, where is he?"

Steve looked around the wall cautiously as Chin rose from his hiding place behind a chair near the door. Kelly motioned to the sofa and McGarrett brought his weapon down to aim at the old man crouched there clutching his handgun. The elderly man looked desperate and frightened, his hand shaking.

Danny made his way to a spot close to the living room entrance and leaned against the wall, his head throbbing. He kept an eye on the bathroom door in case Hanale attempted to exit.

"Hoku Mokiao, you are under arrest for the kidnapping of Lili Kwan and the attempted kidnapping of Rachel Edwards and her children," Steve said gruffly as he kept his rifle aimed at the man cowering behind the sofa. "Put your weapon down before anyone else gets hurt, you have nowhere to run."

For a brief moment Hoku looked like he would try to shoot his way out but faced with Lt. Commander McGarrett's determined stare, he knew he would not survive. Losing his nerve, he dropped his gun and raised both hands. He struggled to get to his feet and faced Chin and Steve with a defeated expression.

"I just wanted to free my nephew. He is all my sister has," Hoku declared. He looked at Chin pleadingly. "You understand family, don't you?"

"Sorry Uncle, family doesn't excuse taking a little girl from her family and threatening her life," Chin said taking him by the arm and bringing out his cuffs.

"Call Alika and Hanale out here," Steve ordered. "Have them surrender." He looked towards Danny just as a scream came from the third bedroom along with breaking glass.

"Kono!" Steve yelled sprinting towards the room.

*H 5-0*

Kono had entered the room with her weapon ready to discover Alika dragging Lili out of the closet. The child's wrists were tied behind her and her ankles were bound. Kono was angry to see the hood over the girl's head. Alika held Lili around the waist and faced Kono, pressing a small handgun to the hooded head of the petite child. After a whispered threat to the child, Alika glared at Kono.

"You get out of here or I'll kill her," Alika threatened. She had heard the gunfire and didn't know what had happened outside the room. She was frightened and unsure of what she could do to escape.

"You don't want to do this Alika," Kono said calmly. She lowered her weapon slightly, trying to reassure the woman that she meant no harm. Maybe she could talk her out of hurting the child. "We know who you are so even if you get out of here, we will find you. You do not want to hurt this child it will only make things worse."

Kono could see the panic in the young woman's eyes and hoped she could diffuse the situation without violence.

"I….uh….where's Hanale? Where is my dad? I can't do this alone," Alika moaned. She did not lower the gun from her captive's head. Whimpering could be heard from under the hood as Lili struggled briefly in Alika's grasp. "I'm not letting her go until I get out of here with my family," the woman demanded.

"I'm sure they are under arrest by now Alika," Kono said trying to reason with her. "If you let Lili go we can try and work out a lighter sentence for you. Don't be a fool Alika; there is nothing to be gained by hurting her now." She continued to use the woman's name, hoping to reach her.

Hoku's step-daughter kept glancing between Kono and the door. Desperation had gripped her and she needed to hear from her father or husband. She knew she couldn't rush past this 5-0 member and get out of the house. Why wasn't Hanale fighting to get to her? She didn't want to believe that he would let her take this fall alone.

"Where is Hanale? I want to see him," she declared.

"Hiding in the bathroom the last time I saw him," Kono replied. "You really don't want to do this Alika," she continued and slowly moved forward, holding out one hand to the woman. "Your father made a mistake; this is no way to free Kekoa."

"I don't care about Kekoa, he is maika'I'ole, I want nothing to do with him. I did this for my makuakane," Alika said softly as tears flowed down her face. The hand holding the gun was now shaking. She threw a quick look over her shoulder and then turned her focus back to Kono. She wished she had never listened to Hoku when he made this sound like an easy way to help Kekoa. She had never liked her cousin and didn't care if he went to jail. But she loved Hoku and her aunt and didn't want to disappoint them.

"Just let Lili go, the judge will take it into consideration," Kono said quietly. She set her weapon on a chair nearby as a show of good faith, knowing that she could pull her sidearm quickly if necessary. She took a few tentative steps closer to Alika and the child.

"I can't face a judge….I just can't go to jail," Alika stated in desperation and suddenly she shoved the child towards Kono. Turning sharply, she sprinted to the window and jumped onto the bed beneath it and threw herself through the glass with a scream of pain.

Kono heard McGarrett yell her name as she caught the child in her arms before she hit the floor.

End chapter.

**Thank you for reading. I think the muse wanted to drag her feet when getting close to the end of the story and went on vacation for a few days. I hate bringing stories to a close. **


	14. Chapter 14

**Ka Pio XIV**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. Maybe if I win the lottery I could buy it but that isn't likely.**

**Thank you everyone for reading my story, I appreciate it.**

Chapter 14

Steve burst into the small room to discover Kono cradling the bound figure of a child. She was attempting to untie the knots on the rope around the girl's wrists.

"Kono, are you okay?"

"We're good. Alika went out the window, go get her," Kono assured him.

Wasting no time Steve charged out of the room and rushed past Danny and Chin on his way to the broken glass doors. Chin had shoved Hoku out into the hallway and made the man sit in a dining room chair opposite Danny.

"Go with him," Danny told Chin. "I'll keep an eye on things here. Go!"

Chin hesitated when he could see Danny wasn't one hundred percent.

"I can watch an old man and a bathroom door," Danny snorted as several shots sounded from the backyard. Chin immediately ran to the broken lanai doors in time to see Steve pick himself up off the ground, a red stain spreading on his right pant leg. As Chin raced to join him, Steve followed Alika's dash into the jungle beyond the backyard. Catching up to the slightly limping McGarrett, Chin could see the flashes of bright yellow that indicated Alika's shirt ahead of them.

"Are you okay?" Chin asked.

"Yes, she just grazed me. Thank goodness she's a lousy shot," Steve said nodding towards the fleeing woman. "She's heading towards the SWAT team," he added pointing to the trail of broken, waving underbrush. It was evident that Alika was moving parallel to the row of houses. "Give them a heads up in case we can't catch her."

Chin paused to radio SWAT while Steve continued to pursue the fleeing woman. As he began to gain on her, Alika glanced over her shoulder and saw the task force leader getting closer. Ducking behind a tree, she turned and fired wildly at Steve.

While McGarrett was dodging bullets in the jungle, Chin chose the easier path by running along the backyards of the properties. With Alika taking time to shoot at Steve, Chin was able to pass her position and then headed into the foliage to come up behind her. After forcing McGarrett to take cover, the woman spun around to continue running and came face to face with Chin's shotgun.

"Drop your weapon Alika," Kelly ordered.

The woman froze and eyes darting around wildly for a way to escape, finding nothing available. With slumping shoulders, Alika dropped the weapon with a defeated sigh. McGarrett joined them almost immediately.

"Alika Kaoao, you are under arrest for kidnapping and attempted murder of a law enforcement officer," Steve announced as he brought her arms behind her and snapped the cuffs on her wrists.

"Attempted murder? All I did was take care of the kid. I didn't grab her and I've got nothing to do with any attempted murder," she protested as Steve gripped one arm and guided her out of the jungle. Chin retrieved her gun and followed them.

"Well I have a bleeding leg that proves you did," Steve stated as he headed with her towards the Kaapana house.

"A poor aim does not excuse an attempted murder charge when you shoot at a cop," Chin added as he walked on her other side. "Hoku has you and Hanale deeply immersed in this whole mess. You might want to consider cooperating with us."

"I wasn't trying to kill you," Alika said looking at Steve. "I just wanted to slow you down."

Steve's answer was interrupted as they heard gunfire erupt from inside the house.

*H 5-0*

After Steve had charged out of the room, Kono had quickly gone back to freeing Lili's wrists and ankles. The slender child's body was trembling and once her wrists were free, Lili began tugging at the hood pinned to her shirt.

"Easy Lili let me unpin the hood first," Kono soothed as she took hold of the girl's hands. "I'll get this off you right away."

As Lili stilled, Kono was able to remove the pins and then quickly pulled the hood from the girl's head. Wide dark eyes blinked in the sudden brightness and Lili brought both hands up to her face. With a trembling lower lip, she looked at Kono and tears began to stream down her cheeks.

"Who?"

"My name is Kono Kalakaua and I'm with 5-0. We are here to take you home to your parents," Kono told her with a warm smile.

"Really?" Lili asked softly, afraid to believe it was true.

"Yes ku'uipo, you are safe now," Kono promised and held out her arms. Lili flung herself forward into Kono's embrace, sobbing. He slender arms locked around Kono's neck as she cried and the woman held her gently, trying to comfort her. Stroking Lili's hair, Kono rocked the child and eventually the sobbing eased.

"Hey Kono, is everything okay in there?" Danny called form the hallway where he was keeping an eye on Hoku and the still closed bathroom door. "Is Lili okay?"

"She's fine, just over-whelmed," Kono called back.

"Good. When you are able I could use some backup out here. Superman went charging out of the house and Chin followed. I've got Hoku out here and someone has to convince Hanale to come out of the bathroom," Danny responded. "I don't think he will do it on his own."

"I'll be there shortly," Kono told him and gently disengaged the now calmer child's arms from around her neck. At first Lili resisted but then cooperated as Kono spoke to her. "Listen Lili, I have to help Danny, I promise you are safe. Wait here and everything will be okay."

"I don't want to be alone," Lili sniffed, hanging onto Kono's hands.

"You'll be safe here Lili," Kono repeated. "Just stay in this room and I'll be back as soon as I can. I promise."

In the hallway, Danny's vision had settled down but his head still throbbed from the blow it had taken. He leaned against the wall so he could keep an eye on Mokiao and the bathroom door that Hanale hid behind. It had been very quiet since the man had closed himself inside.

"Hey Mokiao, tell your son-in-law to give it up. He is not going to win this battle," Danny suggested.

Hoku Mokiao sat sullenly in the chair with his wrists behind his back and remained silent.

"Hey Hanale…your father-in-law is sitting here cuffed and my partner is chasing your wife down at this very moment. Come out of there or we will come in after you and it won't be pretty babe," Danny called out.

His announcement was met with silence. Danny sent a glare in Mokiao's direction.

"I hope Kekoa Newalu appreciates your efforts because you will be sharing a cell block with him in Halawa very soon. I guess it's one way to keep the family together," he told the old man.

Hoku continued to scowl at the wall and ignored Williams' comments.

"Okay, be a jerk. We will get Hanale out of that room dead or alive. Alive would be better for all but hey…..we can play it your way. I'm sure Alika will love how you helped her husband out. This is ending now and if there is bloodshed then it's on your head," he stated. Danny turned his attention to the bathroom door. "Hanale, open that door or we will come in after you. Are you ready to die?" Danny demanded. It crossed his mind that Steve might have a tear gas grenade in his cargo pants to help smoke Hanale out of the room. But he didn't know when McGarrett would return.

"You come in and I will shoot," Hanale threatened through the door.

"And so will I, you moron," Danny shouted back. "Do you think you can survive that?"

"I'm not moving." Hanale was beginning to sound desperate.

"Okay, stay in there forever. Do you have any dinner requests? Oh wait, I'm not sure we can manage that, we may get hungry too. Unless you ask for pineapple on your pizza…I hate that so I might slide that under the door for you," Danny said building into a rant. "Let's just make this easier for everyone and you come out with your hands in the air."

"Shut up," Hanale roared. "All of you back off and let me leave, now."

"Sure we can arrange that," Danny agreed. "Nice to know that you can run out on your wife just when she needs you. You are a real prince man. Just where do you think you can go that we won't find you?"

Danny's question was met with a blast of gunfire from the bathroom. He dove to one side as the first shots ripped through the hollow wooden door. In the bedroom, Kono pushed Lili behind her and grabbed her weapon off the nearby chair. Whimpering the child ran to the bed and huddled on the floor next to it.

"Stay put Lili. I will be back," she told her as Lili nodded. "You will be okay."

She ran to the doorway and peeked around the corner.

"Danny?"

"I'm good Kono. Hanale is playing rough. I think it is time to get him out of the bathroom," Danny called back. He crouched in the archway to the living room, his weapon pointed at the holes in the door. Hoku had slid to the floor and under the table.

"Okay, how do we play it?" Kono asked.

"We have tried to play nice, now we go in," Danny said getting to his feet and moving to the side of the door. Before he could move to kick in the door, another series of shots were fired from inside, sending splinters flying.

Danny answered with a spray of bullets from his side of the door, tearing a gaping hole in the flimsy door. Kono added her own firepower from her side; then Danny kicked the shell of the door open and led the way in. A single shot rang out before Kono could follow him inside.

End chapter.

**Yep a cliffhanger…the muse is evil. Thanks for reading.**


	15. Chapter 15

**Ka Pio XV**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. I never will and I always hope that the real owners don't care that I play with their characters.**

**I appreciate all reviews since that is the only way a writer knows that anyone cares what we do. Thank you so much.**

Chapter 15

The sound of glass shattering followed the single shot and then a second shot rang out almost simultaneously. Kono charged in to the room anxiously calling out Danny's name, only to discover him brushing shards of broken mirror from his hair and shirt collar. Hanale Kaoao was sprawled in the bathtub, very dead.

"You okay brah?" she enquired.

"I'm good. Can't say the same for Hanale, breaking a mirror brought him some major bad luck," Danny said grimly.

Kono looked at the body and saw that there were several bullet wounds in Hanale and figured that the man had been hit several times before Danny rushed into the small room.

"Yea, bad luck because he listened to Mokiao," she replied.

"Mokiao!" Danny exclaimed, turning towards the door. "He's alone out there."

They both ran from the room and looked in the dining room. The space under the table where Hoku had taken cover when the shooting began was now empty. Danny ran into the living room while Kono headed for the lanai. She never made it outside as Chin pushed Hoku through the broken frame with Steve and Alika following.

"Danny, Chin has Mokiao," Kono called out as she stepped back to let the others enter. Chin and Steve deposited their prisoners in chairs at the table and Kono glanced at the silent entrance to the living room. "Danny?"

She hurried to the archway with a concerned McGarrett limping after her. They found Danny sitting on the couch, his head in his hands. Kono knelt in front of him, reaching up to touch his hands.

"You okay Danny?" she asked gently.

"Yea just got dizzy for a moment. I figured I had better sit down before I fell down," Danny muttered in disgust.

"Kono, call an ambulance," Steve instructed, worried about his partner. "Chin is calling SWAT in. Where's Hanale, we heard shots?"

"He's dead in the bathtub," Kono answered. "Hanale decided he would try and shoot his way out of the room." She rose to her feet and started to pull her phone out of her pocket. She patted Danny's shoulder in comfort but was brought up short by a small voice from just outside of the room.

"Miss Kono, can I come out now? I'm scared."

Kono spun around to see Lili's frightened face peering around the corner. She smiled at the girl and held out her arms, which prompted the girl to run into her embrace. With a weary smile, Steve pulled out his own phone.

"I'll call the ambulance, you take care of Lili, she needs you," Steve said softly. He called for the ambulance and then directed his attention to Danny who remained seated. "Danny, are you all right?"

"I'm okay, just bumped my head," Danny said rubbing the back of his head and grimacing. "I'll live." He looked at Steve and couldn't miss the red stain on McGarrett's pant leg. "Just what did you do to yourself now?" he sighed.

Steve glanced down at his leg.

"Oh, that's just a scratch, I'm fine," he said quickly. "Fortunately Alika is a lousy shot. So you took out Hanale?"

"I tried talking him out but he wasn't in a listening mood. He shot up the bathroom door and I went in. He hit the mirror and I fired at him….seems both Kaoas are lousy shots," Danny commented.

"Then we're the lucky ones," Steve said with a small smile. "How's your head now?"

"It's feeling better," Danny replied. He looked at Lili who was still hugging Kono tightly. "At least Lili is safe and that is what counts," he added.

"Yes she is. Looks like Kono has made a new friend," Steve acknowledged, feeling some of the tension leave his shoulders. "We let the EMTs check her out and then reunite her with her folks. And then you go to the hospital to get your head checked out."

"And your leg."

"The leg is fine. It's just a scratch," Steve scoffed.

"It's still bleeding," Danny pointed out.

"I'll live."

"God, you are stubborn McGarrett," Danny groused.

A muffled giggle from across the room had both men looking at Kono and Lili. The girl was grinning shyly at them.

"Do they always fight?" she asked Kono.

"No, only when they worry about each other," Kono grinned.

"When can I see my mommy and daddy?" the child asked next.

"I'm going to call your dad right now Lili. We'll have them come get you, I know they've been very worried," Steve told her as he once more got out his phone. He knew that DA Kwan was anxiously waiting for word of Lili's rescue. The phone was answered on the second ring.

"DA Kwan, this is Steve McGarrett, we have Lili and she is safe. Yes sir, she's fine and her abductors are in custody." He paused to listen. "You are very welcome sir," he responded as he walked to the archway to check on Chin and his prisoners. "We're in Hau'ula and HPD should be sending a car over to escort you here," he promised. "Yes sir, she's eager to see you. We'll take care of her until you arrive."

As he finished speaking the SWAT team entered the house to take control of the prisoners. Hoku and Alika were led out to the van, neither one putting up any resistance. Once Alika learned of her husband's death she had dissolved into tears and slumped in the chair. Hoku Mokiao seemed to age right before Chin's eyes and his expression became closed off. He ignored all of Chin's attempts to question him.

Not long after all that excitement, the ambulance and coroner's wagon arrived and Max hurried into the house.

"You have a body for me Commander?" he inquired.

"In the bathroom Max," Steve said ushering Max through the house and away from Lili. "It looks like he was hit several times. He fired at Danny and Danny responded properly."

"I will take care of everything," Max assured him and disappeared into the small room.

Steve returned to the living room to see the EMTs were checking out Lili and Danny. The girl still insisted on hanging on to one of Kono's hands as the woman paramedic examined her gently. With a satisfied nod the EMT cleared Lili and looked over at McGarrett. Her partner was examining Danny.

"Okay Commander, let's take a look at your leg," she said.

"See to my partner," Steve said as Danny was protesting the light that the male EMT was shining in his eyes. "Looks like he could use some help. I'm fine."

"He's still bleeding," Danny announced. "Don't let him put you off."

"No more stalling Commander, drop your pants," the woman ordered.

"I think Lili and I will wait outside," Kono giggled and led the child out the front door.

"I'd do as she says Commander, Carol has a black belt," the other EMT with the name tag of Tony advised.

"Okay," Steve muttered as he reached for his belt. Danny's snicker made him pause. "I can order them to take you to the hospital you know."

"I'm just hoping you didn't go "commando" this morning although I'm sure that Carol has seen it all," Williams teased.

"Shut up Danno," Steve growled and let his cargos slide down his legs, happy that his T-shirt was one of his longer ones. "Sorry but no commando."

Carol went to work quietly and efficiently, cleaning the graze and bandaging his leg without comment. With a brief smile she told Steve he was fine. Tony said he felt Danny did not have a concussion and would be fine. Both men were cleared to work with no hospital trip.

"I told you," Danny declared as the two EMTs packed up their equipment. "Thank you Tony, I feel much better."

As the EMTs left, Steve went back to the dining room to observe the crime scene unit that was working on the house. He looked at the destruction of the glass doors and the bathroom and sighed.

"We may be investigating Jimmy's murder once his folks get a look at this place," Danny commented from behind him.

"I hope the family has good insurance," Steve replied. "I wish it hadn't happened but Lili's safety was a priority. All this can be repaired," he added as he waved his hand around to indicate the mess.

"Let's hope Jimmy's folks see it that way," Danny said. "Who knew that lending a buddy a van could lead to such a mess?"

The sound of a police siren announced the arrival of Lili's parents. Steve, Danny and Chin headed out to the font of the house. None of them wanted to miss the family reunion; this was the icing on the cake for them.

End chapter.

**Thank you for reading. We are almost finished with this tale.**


	16. Chapter 16

**Ka Pio XVI**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. I truly wish I did but that is not in the cards.**

**Thank you for your patience once again. I hate ending stories and the muse began sulking. And then I went to visit my granddaughter so this finish is a little late.**

Chapter 16

As Steve and Danny exited the house, they saw Michael and Patricia Kwan racing over to where Kono was standing with Lili. The girl stood transfixed as if she couldn't believe her parents were really there. In a moment Lili was caught up in happy tears and laughter as both her parents hugged her. Kono retreated from the trio and joined Steve and Danny, along with Chin to enjoy the reunion from a distance.

The task force was pleased with the success of their mission; all injuries they had suffered took a back seat to the deep satisfaction they were now feeling. After showering his daughter with kisses, DA Kwan left his daughter in his wife's embrace and walked over to the task force.

"Commander McGarrett, I can't begin to thank you enough for rescuing Lili. You and your team accomplished something I was afraid might be impossible and certainly not this fast," he said extending a hand to Steve.

"We got lucky sir and we are happy that we found Lili so quickly," Steve responded, shaking the DA's

Turning to Danny, Kwan shook his hand as well.

"I understand Hoku Mokiao threatened your little girl as well. I'm glad you were able to prevent any harm coming to her," he told Williams.

"I'm happy about that as well," Danny replied. "Alls well that ends well."

"Very true," Kwan agreed and turned to Chin Ho. "Lt. Kelly, I appreciate all your dedicated work. Thank you."

"You are very welcome sir," Chin answered, returning the handshake. Kwan then turned to Kono.

"Officer Kalakaua, Lili couldn't stop saying how you saved her. Thank you so much," the DA stated and moved in past her out stretched hand to hug her tightly. "We will never forget your kindness," he whispered in her ear.

Lili broke away from her mother to run to Kono and hug her as well. Patricia Kwan followed her daughter over to the task force, happy tears still streaming down her cheeks.

"Mom, this is Kono," Lili said happily.

"I want to add my thanks to all of you," Patricia said wiping away her tears. "Thank you for saving my daughter." She hadn't missed the fact that Commander McGarrett's pant leg was stained with blood and Det. Williams kept rubbing the back of his head. She knew that this rescue of her daughter had not been easy.

"Commander, do we have any proof that Newalu is behind Lili's kidnapping?" Kwan asked as he stepped away from the group and signaled Steve to follow.

"We aren't sure yet if he worked with his uncle. Mokiao wasn't talking when we took him away. I promise you we will question him thoroughly," Steve answered. "Hoku did use one of Newalu's vehicles but that is a slim connection. We need to know more."

"I left orders that Newalu be kept away from all media to prevent him from learning that we have his uncle in custody. I've also shut down any release of information on this arrest to the press since we never made her abduction public, hoping that I can keep a lid on everything until tomorrow morning. I plan to prove he knew exactly what his nephew was up to," Michael Kwan growled angrily.

"We will help you in any way we can," Steve promised. "None of our people will talk to the press. I hope you can make things work the way you want."

They both looked over where Lili was now leaning against her mother tiredly. Danny also noticed how exhausted the girl was and he turned to the DA.

"Mr. Kwan, why don't you take Lili home, she really could use a night in her own bed with her parents watching over her," Williams suggested.

"We will make sure HPD has a car outside your house until we are positive there is no longer a threat," Steve assured him.

"I appreciate that Commander and I look forward to seeing you and Det. Williams in court tomorrow morning." Kwan looked over at his wife and daughter. "Okay you two, let's go home."

As the tree Kwans headed to the car, the four 5-0 teammates exchanged smiles. It looked like things were finally over and there were only a few loose ends to be tied up.

"How's the head brah?" Chin asked Danny.

"Better but I would not say no to some Tylenol," Danny admitted as he rubbed the back of his head gingerly. "No double vision or nausea."

"Good, then go home and get some sleep," Steve ordered. The sound of his phone ringing interrupted them. "Yes Governor. Yes, we found Lili Kwan and she just left for home with her parents. We have one perp dead and two in custody," he reported.

"Commander I am very pleased with how quickly you resolved this situation," Denning responded warmly. "And please pass on my thanks and gratitude to the rest of your team."

"I will do that sir."

"Commander…I look forward to hearing your full report once you've questioned the two suspects. Good luck in court tomorrow."

"Thank you sir and I will keep you informed," Steve promised.

"I will wait for your report," Denning replied and hung up.

"The Governor is pleased," Steve announced to the others.

"Well that makes my day," Danny drawled.

"Let's all head home," McGarrett suggested before Danny went off on a rant against the Governor. He looked at Danny and smiled. "You make sure that Rachel knows that all is well and she has you to thank for it. Tell her you saved the day."

"I'll make sure to use you as a reference," Danny laughed, feeling relieved that he could assure Rachel that things were all okay. "I am ready to head home, now."

"Okay, we are all off the clock until tomorrow morning," Steve announced, deciding he would wait until morning to talk to Hoku and Alika. He wanted them to stew overnight in a holding cell. Maybe they would be more willing to talk after having some time to think about the position they were in.

The four walked down the street to where they had left their vehicles and then drove back to 5-0 headquarters. After that they went their separate ways, relieved that the weekend was over.

*H 5-0*

McGarrett arrived home to discover Catherine in his kitchen, wearing very short shorts that barely showed below one of his SEAL T-shirts.

"Hey Commander, are you hungry?" she asked stirring a pot on the stove.

"I am but I want to hold you first," Steve said coming up behind her. She whirled around and immediately saw his bloody pant leg.

"Steve…..you're hurt," she exclaimed, pushing him away.

"It's just a scratch Cath. I'm fine, I swear," he said reaching for her. "I've been checked out by the EMTs. They said I was okay."

Catherine hugged him tightly and kissed his cheek.

"You stress me out but I'll live," she sighed. "How is everyone else?"

"Danny proved he has a hard head and everyone else is fine. Lili wasn't hurt, her folks took her home," Steve told her.

"I am so glad to hear that. I was worried for that child," Catherine said happily. "I hope you nail the bastard. Now, are you ready for dinner?"

"Yes, as long as some alone time follows," Steve said kissing her neck.

"I think that can be arranged," Catherine chuckled as she turned back to the stove. "Set the table."

"Yes ma'am."

*H 5-0*

Monday morning Steve and Danny met Michael Kwan in one of the small meeting rooms just outside the courtroom.

"How's Lili?" Danny inquired immediately.

"She had a bad dream last night but settled down once we came in to sit with her. Pat and I decided she could stay home from school today and Pat will take her to talk to a therapist this afternoon," Michael told them. "She's a tough kid but this has been difficult for her."

"I think that is a wise move," Steve agreed.

Entering the courtroom, they saw Newalu was all ready at the defendant's table with his team of lawyers. He looked at the DA and the two 5-0 members with a smug look on his face. Leaning back in his chair, Newalu oozed confidence that he would walk free. Never flinching from the icy stares that Steve McGarrett and Danny Williams sent his way, Kekoa turned back to his council.

"My guess is that he figures he is home free," Danny said to Steve under his breath.

"I agree, he sure seems to know what went down this weekend," Steve murmured in return.

Kwan shoved his chair back and turned toward the two men.

"I have the perfect plan to wipe that smug look off his face," he said softly. "I intend to make it very clear to Newalu that his idea to control me has failed." Kwan looked over at an assistant standing by a side door and nodded. The man nodded back and opened the door to speak to someone outside. Moments later Patricia Kwan walked into the courtroom holding Lili by the hand. They headed directly to the seats behind the DA's desk as Steve and Danny grinned broadly.

"Hi Daddy, Mom said we could stop by to stay hello before you started to work, you left so early," Lili announced in a quiet voice. Even in hushed tones her voice carried to the defendant's table.

Kekoa Newalu looked up in surprise and a sick look spread over his face as he realized who the child was. He began to rise from his seat but one of his attorneys pulled him back down into his seat abruptly.

"I'm so glad you stopped by," Kwan said reaching over the railing to hug his daughter. "You have fun with Mom today, I'll see you tonight," he told her. He nodded to his wife and the pair left the courtroom quietly.

Kwan looked at both McGarrett and Williams and winked before he stole a glance at the defendant's table. Newalu and his lawyers were in a heated, whispered discussion.

"Nicely played sir," Danny chuckled.

"I would think that you will be getting a plea request rather soon," Steve added as he watched the intense conference going on a few feet away. "Well done sir."

"I wanted to wipe that arrogant look off his face," Kwan confessed. "I couldn't let him think he had won."

"You made your point very clearly," Steve assured him.

They all came to attention as the bailiff announced they should all stand for the judge. Kwan turned to face forward, pleased with his own surprise jab at Newalu. He would be eternally grateful to 5-0 for saving his daughter.

Steve and Danny exchanged grins and sat down; feeling very pleased themselves at how this case had ended. Holding a child captive to manipulate the justice system would never be acceptable on these islands as long as 5-0 existed.

End story.

**The muse hates ending stories so this took a bit longer than I anticipated. Thank you so very much for taking time to read and comment on my story. You guys are the best.**


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